Object X
by LolaQ
Summary: Against her better judgment, Hermione must go back to a Hogwarts of a different era to retreive an unknown object, but finds herself in a no win situation.
1. Miss Hermione Jane

Catch-22 

Hi Everyone. Ok…so I decided to rewrite my first chapter. Sorry to those of you who thought my story was good enough, and I should just get up the sixth chapter, but one of my very first readers, Anuksunamun-Kalia, gave me some very wise advice. They said if I wasn't happy and I wanted to go back and rewrite my chapters than I should put my mind at ease. I need to be happy first. J.K. Rowling, who all Harry Potter fans adore, said the SAME THING. So thank you for pointing that I need to be happy first out for me.

You should all know that I have changed some things, and I have added on some important details that will have a part later in my story, foreshowing, and some other stuff. I REALLY WANT YOU ALL TO READ AND **_REVIEW_** WHAT YOU THINK OF MY CHAPTER ONE, VERSION 2. PLEASE.

rock-dadog-bitch: I am glad you think it's good and that I should just finish the 6th chapter, but I really wanted to fix up my story. I will try to do that ASAP. Sorry that it wasn't a real chapter (notice how it didn't have a name) because I hate it when I am a reader and that happens to me.

Kleine Nixe: Thank you so so so much! I am glad you think it's original. I wanted to write a tom/mione story, but I need a reason other than it was an accident, some strange occurrence, purposely to kill, or change Tom. I will keep writing, but I am doing some rewriting first.

Quill of the Lark: I am glad you think my plot is strong, and I have tried to jazz up my words (it is really hard for me to do since I am such a boring person), but I didn't feel the need tom change too much of the first chapter. I have added stuff and changed some, but… I can't put what I want to say in words, but I really want to know what you think of the new first chapter.

Ok so read on!

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Disclaimer: All Harry potter names and other stuff are JK Rowling's and Warner Bros. I do not own them in any way.

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Hermione Jane Granger was an impeccable student during her days at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was well known for it. Coming from an all muggle family (she was known for that as well, but had she been just an ordinary student, like Justin Finch Fletchley, and not a close friend of "the boy-who-lived", she might not have been known at all.) it was quite a shock to discover that there was a whole world of people who could perform magic spells almost like the characters in her favorite fairy tales.

Hermione had no knowledge whatsoever about this world when an inexplicable visitor came knocking at her front door with a letter of admission to one of the most prestigious magical schools, but her seemingly unquenchable hunger, thirst, and addiction to know would absolutely forbid her from denying herself entrance. Even though learning of a magical community hidden in hers astounded her, it was oddly less shocking to discover that she had the baffling power to take part of it.

Before Hermione aged eleven years, bizarre events that couldn't be explained occurred around her or rather because of her. For instance, Hermione was not afraid of the dentist. Although that really had nothing to do with her being a witch, but really her parents being dentists themselves (it was, and still is, a rarity to find someone who actually likes dentists).

One actual strange incident happened when she was eight and in Muggle School, her teacher insulted her tiny handwriting. Hermione's old teacher frequently insulted her ever since Hermione had embarrassed her in front of the headmistress by correcting her. The teacher had said she would give Hermione no credit because it would be too difficult for her to read Hermione's writing. The teacher went up to a chalkboard that looked as though it could do with a good wash, but at the same time, looked as if a good wash would finish it off. The teacher started to cautiously and slowly write the class assignments. As she did this, an upset Hermione secretly wished for revenge, and thought about how the teacher's writing wasn't much bigger than hers. When her teacher had finished she told her students to copy down the homework assigned that day. When the students said there was nothing written on the board, she turned around to discover that her writing had vanished. She naturally assumed that at some point, Hermione had gone up to the board and erased it, even though, logically, from a muggle standpoint, there would have been no time. Hermione attempted to explain this, but her pleas fell on deaf ears and unfortunately, she was forced to copy two pages of the oxford dictionary as punishment. Although Hermione spent her punishment in fumes that she was innocent, deep down she knew that, somehow, she had erased the assignments on the board.

Were someone to remind Hermione of what her former self had done, she would simply laugh. She remembered clearly the days where she always questioned authority.

Hermione always felt that she needed to prove herself, and when she entered the Wizarding World she felt she needed to show she wasn't a stupid muggleborn. She knew she wasn't and had always proven that. Hermione never was a vain girl; she just knew that she wasn't a dunderhead. Hermione simply loved verbal praise, for verbal praise was proof that she wasn't just some silly girl.

That is the main point to remember about Miss Hermione Jane Granger: Never call her a silly girl, because if you do she will prove you wrong using more than just verbal praise.

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The events that take place between humans do not effect how the weather feels. Nature could care less about them and although she was stunning, she was also pitiless. Hermione certainly understood this as she watched the flowers, trees, and birds chirping. She thought it was ironic how such horrible times she was in could have such wonderful, lets-go-to-the-park kind of days. Actually, every day was a terrible day, as everyday it seemed there were more deaths from the previous and that the Lord Voldemort was closer to reaching his goals. Today only looked nice and although Hermione was somewhat happy that nature had not given out any cruel weather, the beauty it was donning today, compared with the ugliness of what was occurring, was simply torture.

Hermione had been sitting by the window on an, old white washed wicker chair that had paint chipping everywhere and made a sound that if you moved the slightest, it would give away. She was bored and all alone in the old house, because Harry Potter had failed to assign her anything! She started to get really angry as she thought of this and began to harshly take out her anger on the poor wicker chair by picking off the paint and tearing out the little weaves.

"Today is the perfect example of how looks can be deceiving," Hermione thought bitterly aloud. There was absolutely nothing good about today because what would be called "good'" weather was just making her go wild. How dare the weather be so nice on a day where, once again, Harry told her to just stay in the stupid old house residing in the middle of absolutely nowhere and when there were probably hundreds of people being tortured and killed because of one man's insane point of view?

"Only ugly people say that"

Hermione smiled a small, did a small laugh, and turned her head to see who had made rather rude comment. Hermione noted to herself that it wasn't even funny and she had only laughed out of bitterness or insanity and it was only a cheap shot from a certain someone to tease her by suggesting she was ugly.

It was Ron Weasley. Of course. Finally her day became better. It would have been even better if Harry weren't standing close by. She was stilly angry with him for assigning her absolutely nothing and for another reason that she would tell not a single soul.

Hermione lifted herself out of the wicker chair which gave a loud croak sort of noise, ran up to the doorway where Ron was blocking and hugged him with a great, real, fully hearted smile and hug. Ron, in return, gave her a hesitant kiss or peck on the forehead. Hermione was about to give her boyfriend a more meaningful kiss when Ron turned his head.

This upset Hermione. She knew it shouldn't be such a big deal, but she always wished Ron could be a little less embarrassed by public display of affection. When others were around, Ron wouldn't dare to even give her a peck on the cheek. That made Hermione hope he would someday just sweep her off her feet, literally, while everyone is looking and passionately kiss her.

"Hey Harry!" said an overly cheerful Ron.

An upset and nervous looking Harry pursed his lips and averted his emerald eyes while he nodded his messy-haired head in hello.

Hermione, noticing this, pursed her lips and looked down at the ground. Obviously Harry had some bad news about their current war with Voldemort or he…

As bad as she knew it was, she hoped it was the first one.

"We need to talk. The entire Order. It is very important." Harry spoke slowly and cautiously and kept putting his head down, refusing to look anyone in the eye. Hermione felt he, in reality, could not look at her, but why? Even Ron seemed to notice his discomfort.

" Right," Ron said cautiously letting go of Hermione, " Well…um… Hermione and I will go find them and bring them here."

By the time Hermione and Ron got everyone from the order gathered around the kitchen it was completely dark especially since there wasn't a moon or any lights outside except the stars. If you were to look out a window you would see nothing, but dirt and long dead grass for miles on end. The nearest town, which was more of a ghost town minus the ghosts, was quite far.

Mrs. Weasley was making sure everyone from the Order, or The New Order as some preferred to call it since most of the original order was gone, was well fed. Hermione believed that Mrs. Weasley felt that if everyone ate more than enough, there was no way they could be killed. If only that were true…

Harry was one of the last people to finish eating. As he did so everyone silently watched him. Everyone was very restless to hear what Harry had to say, Hermione included. Harry seemed to eat so slowly that he was purposely trying to torture them all. What a sadistic little…

Once he licked his plate clean, literally, Mrs. Weasley hurried to clear it and left probably to go cry over her losses. She never spoke much since the death of her husband. There was a dead silence. Hermione vaguely though about how it was almost peaceful. But the instant she realized to the full extent of why it was so peaceful and silent, she became ashamed and attempted to think of what Harry had to say. She could make it into a little game, She had to do that often these days to occupy her mind keep her busy.

One time she made a little game in the kitchen with the two different colors of the tiles. The colors were dirt brown and what was probably once white. There was no pattern; there were just occasional little clumps of brown tiles as though the kitchen floor needed to be prepared and the previous owners could not afford or find any white tiles. Hermione's little game was to only step on the brown clumps of tiles. Looking back at the game now, Hermione realized she must have been desperate, but not enough to commit suicide.

Hermione thought it was going to be rather pleasant to hear Harry say something-anything, as he hardly spoke since the death of Dumbledore. However, Dumbledore's death was mortifying to everyone (especially under the circumstances he died in…). After all, with Dumbledore there always seemed to be hope and lots of it. Now that Dumbledore was gone, Harry was basically in charge as he was literally the only hope for muggles, witches, and wizards alike. The last adult other than Mrs. Weasley from the second order was Remus Lupin, but as of the moment he was missing. Mrs. Weasley had decided that bossing people around wouldn't help and felt that it would give Harry morale if he believed he was in charge. (But Hermione felt her silence was due to Arthur's death, but Hermione didn't want to think about his death, or Dumbledore's, or anyone's for that matter),

Hermione felt it only added more stress. Feeling slightly guilty, Hermione believed Harry sometimes deserved it. She didn't know if she could ever get over some things…

In fact, Hermione was becoming more strained, as Harry said zilch about anything and everything. He was doing this on purpose to upset her because she had… no Hermione was being over emotional and whenever she becomes overemotional, she gets very irrational. Harry wouldn't do such a thing to punish her. In fact, Hermione thought, bitterly, and frustratingly, he doesn't do a lot of things to me!

Hermione had to calm herself down before she pushed past the boundaries of the mind and started talking and expressing her feelings out in the open for the members of the New Order to witness. She had to remind herself that she and Harry were still best friends and Harry was still best friends with Ron and that she was dating Ron. It was that simple and if her mind, that could remember all the spells and incantations of a single book and could read the ancient runes, could just process in that little bit of information, her life would be less trying.

She was relieved that Harry's silence was not because of Ron and her. However, she knew whatever he had to say could not be good and with the way he seemed to prefer to look at everyone else, rather than her, she knew that Harry's news had to do with her. Out off all of Miss Granger's cleverness, she could not fathom the slightest reason why except it had to do with her probably going out on a mission. Finally, Hermione thought, I don't have to make up stupid games or watch a stupid scene nature from an old wicker.

Hermione thought back to how she was tearing it up and peeling off its paint. If she only knew that she would actually get a mission she wouldn't have done that. Still, Hermione felt bad, the chair never did anything to her except provide comfort. It was the only thing she had that would always be there for her, even though it was old, and there she was hurting it. Had it been a person she would apologize and such, but what could she do for a chair? She decided she would fix as soon as she got returned from her mission. She will tie up the broken weaves and will give it a good white wash.

After about another five minutes of, Harry inhaled and finally spoke and let it out.

"I found _a_ location", Harry stated stressing the a.

Hermione knew for certain that the stressing of the letter "a" did mean something bad and from the way Harry couldn't look at her, she was now positive it did have something to do with her. She partly knew of what Harry was talking about, which only made her dig into her lower lip hard with her teeth. If her assumptions that this was her mission were correct, than she would about to be given a classic lesson to be careful what you wish for.

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Review please and tell me what you think. Is it better, not by mush, by far, worse, all right, the same (I wanted it to be same, but just better)? 


	2. Miss Mary Jane

Author's note: **I finally finished rewriting chapter 2**! I like it much better and it is even updated to fit with the HBP, so be warned! Actually it hasn't really changed since those who have read my story will know that the character I killed prior to HBP was the one that ended up dying in HBP.

Anyway, I hope you guys like it and I went with my lazy, but satisfying method of rewriting: Just by taking the same chapter and adding and subtracting stuff. There is a little conversation between Ginny and Hermione. It is pointless to the plot, BUT not for their relationship. As I wanted Hermione to be close to Ginny in my story, I needed them to have some time together before Hermione's departure.

Thanks to **Anuksunamun-Kalia **who reviewed my chapter 1 rewrite (the only one) and who has been there for me since the original chapter one. You have been great and really supportive! I have added more of Hermione's thoughts (as I reread this chapter I was horrified to find there were so few!)

Disclaimer: All Harry potter names, and stuff belongs to Warner Brothers and JK Rowling. I am neither.

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Charlie, Luna, and Neville and Ron all looked astonished and murmured to each other how wonderful that is. And how now the Order had a chance to actually win the war. Or so they thought, Hermione thought bitterly. She vaguely found it remarkable how the meaning of sentence could change with use replacing 'the' with 'a'.

" I can hardly believe it," Charlie spoke so low he was almost talking to himself, " We actually have a chance win this thing." He looked around for the others agreement.

"Really?' asked Luna in her usual dreamy voice and taking a sip of some weird bluish drink (Probably to protect herself from snockiggles or some other made up creature. Hermione wouldn't waste her time keeping track of all the mythical creatures to wizards), " I thought we always-"

" And the object?" Ginny and Hermione spoke out loud at once and upon noticing this they look at each other and gave each other a rare half-smile. Ginny and Hermione could be so different from each other yet share the same thoughts. Hermione was most pleased that someone or than herself had managed to get the deeper meaning of Harry's sentence.

It didn't surprise Hermione to discover that although Harry said little, the little he said were worth more than picture or a thousand words.

" I don't know," said Harry. Hermione wanted to strangle him, but as of late this was normal. If he could just spit out what his plan was. She could tell he had one. If Harry could only say why he stressed the word "a". If Voldemort didn't get him, Hermione herself might do the deed. And it wasn't helping that he seemed to take a sudden interest in the floor. It wasn't the same as Hermione's little floor game… she was desperate and bored.

" You don't know what the object is?' asked Charlie. But before Harry answered no, Charlie let out a great sigh and he to looked at the kitchen floor as if it were a work of Picasso. Hermione could see he was clearly disappointed (as was she).

Not to mention nervous and anxious which either were synonyms for one another or went hand in hand. Like tea and crumpets…but Hermione didn't want to take a stroll down memory lane, not even a short one. Oh no, even a ride through the best memory, would be ruined by some bad incident, like a flat tire.

"Arggghhh! What is the point of knowing where this object is if we don't even know what it is!" Ron half yelled.

" Look," Ginny started, " Let me tell you something, to know where we can get this object that V- V- Vol- Voldemort can use against us all and not know what the object is, is better than to not know either.

Everyone murmured in agreement. Hermione, however, remained silent. Ron wasn't going to let Ginny outwit him as she usually did.

" Oh, Okay, so let's go to this location and go get it! There we are at the location and all we have to do is grab something and hope it's what we are looking for!" Ron said mock seriously. " Am I right Hermione?"

Hermione was barely paying attention, but she watched enough to know that Ron was correct, but Ginny hadn't said to do what Ron suggested she was saying. Everyone always looked to her for a correct answer and her word was final. She used to enjoy it, but these days, everyone started to ask questions that she wasn't sure of the correct answer. She wasn't sure of anything anymore. Like she wasn't sure of Ron and Harry….

Hermione opened her mouth to say what she thought before Ginny did it for her.

" Ron, More knowledge on ways we can win over You-know-who, the better. I didn't say, nor imply what you said. I thought I was merely stating the obvious!'

" Well-I… that's not…" Ron said nothing else. He knew that he was defeated and thus pouted his lips and crossed his arms over his chest. To top it all of he began to watch the floor.

Hermione was starting to dislike the kitchen floor and gave it a nasty look. Maybe she was going crazy…

" Look," said Charlie, " Time is precious, and seconds of it is being stripped away by pointless bickering. Urggh! Ron, Ginny, you bicker more than Hermione and Ron used to! (Everyone did a small appreciative laugh in agreement) We need to get together and organize a plan of how we can best use this fact. Maybe-"

" Interesting," said Luna, " I don't recall the location. Harry I am sorry could you repeat that?"

" Or say it in the first place," suggested Harry. He smiled at Luna and she smiled back. Hermione wondered if it meant anything more, but Luna was too…weird…no…well she was too something, Hermione decided for Harry.

Besides, Harry decided not to date at Dumbledore's funeral at the end of sixth year. He had hurt Ginny, but luckily she of all people understood. Hermione didn't want to think about Harry and Ginny either, in any way. Friendly or not.

However, she was grateful to Luna for bringing it up.

" Wait a second," said Neville, " You said a location. Is there two objects or something? Because that suggests that there is more than one location. Unless it can be in two places at once!"

Harry smiled. He was always proud whenever Neville showed he wasn't so incompetent. Although Neville was saddened by the death of his Gran (dragon pox at an elderly witch age is deadly), with her gone, Hermione found Neville to be more confidant, far from egotistical, he still had low self esteem issues. Issues, Hermione pondered, that might actually be scars and never go away.

" So it is in two places at once!" Neville exclaimed, his eyes bright with excitement for being right.

Harry finally looked at Hermione expecting her to realize. Now it was Hermione's turn to be confused.

Then she thought about it.

Two places at once meant… then it hit her.

Third year, She was in just about every class, minus Divination later, and Ron mentioned that she would have to be in to places at once in order to take both classes. The only way she was in two places at once was when she used a time turner to take Ancient Runes while her near-future self would be in Divination at the same time. Therefore there would be two Hermiones, technically different ages by only a couple of hours, at the same time. Except, this was an object and surely time already would have passed when there was two of it at once. Unless, she thought, Harry is referring to get the object in a whole other time frame. To get the object not in the present, but to get it _years_ ago in the past!

" When is it?' she said excitedly, her eyes lighting up the same way Neville's had just moments ago. Even though she had a vague idea where this was going, and it wasn't good.

Harry smiled to know she had deduced it so quickly (how he could smile so much was another mystery to Hermione, but not one that cared to solve). The others of the New Order remained in a confused state.

" 1943," said Harry promptly.

Hermione blinked. Ginny blanched. Harry sighed.

Hermione knew it would be in the past, but why at that particular year or decade? She would laugh if Harry said it was at Hogwarts…was that why Ginny blanched, Hermione wondered? It couldn't be, she thought. Harry probably doesn't even know where to look in 1943.

"What is going on?'" said Ron, as he gazed upon Ginny's and Hermione's facial expressions.

" Ron, do you remember third year? Everyone, the reason, as Neville correctly guessed, this object is in two places because it is in the present and in the past. We now know one of its locations is in the past in 1943…" Hermione said

" Well," said Charlie, looking slightly displeased, " Say we go back in time. Where exactly are we going once we get to 1943?"

" Hogwarts" Answered Harry as though it were simple. Hermione was to busy trying to breathe let alone laugh.

" Harry," Charlie said, "Not that it's bad that we know where and when, but everyone, even Hermione, is getting too wound up. We still do not know what to get! All we know about the object is that we need to get it and little help that is."

" Yes," said Hermione finally regaining control over herself, " Not to mention how dangerous it would be to travel back in time!"

" Hermione! You used it in third year to get to your ridiculous load of classes and to save Sirius!"

Before Hermione was about to tell Ron why this was different Charlie did it for her.

" Yeah, But Ron. That was going back hours. When you guys went back, you were still in a time were you existed. We are talking about years here. Years where you guys don't subsist. You would be adding another person to a place where they shouldn't be," Charlie said and he pushed his mug of coffee away as though, it too, was suggesting a mission into the past.

Hermione nodded her head in complete agreement. People may look to her for answers but when it comes to missions and ideas, her suggestions are often ignored.

"Actually, said Harry, " That's not possible. I don't know why. The reason this could actually work-"

" What?" said Hermione she put her hand to her forehead from frustration, " You _are_ suggesting that going back in time will work? I thought Charlie had just established that that is very unwise decision? Time travel is immensely complex and risky. I thought, Harry, you learned this in third year. One cannot simply travel back to change the future! And if we do decide to go back in time-which would be incredibly irresponsible- and obtain this object, who dare I ask, is going? One mistake can cost everything and I-"

"Hermione! We don't want to change the past to change the future. As, I just stated, you can't do that! We just need to get something from it!"

" That is changing the past! If it is there, then it should stay there! Harry, I need to know what could make you possibly think this is a logical plan! Just how-"

Hermione was about to ask what he thought she had to do with all of this specifically. She had an idea, but just maybe…

Her thoughts were interrupted by Ginny. She seemed almost hysterical, but wasn't quite there yet.

" I am not going. 1943! (She paused and shook her head violently in disbelief) 1943! Am I the only one who realizes who was a student at Hogwarts in 1943?" thankfully Ginny decided to look out the sink window instead of the floor. Hermione didn't think she could handle it if anyone else looked at that floor. That- Hermione swore and called the floor a bad name.

Before anyone could answer Ginny turned sharply around with her arms folded across her chest like Ron and started again. Ron and Harry looked a little freaked out, but they definitely knew whom she was going on about.

" Riddle. TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE! THE GUY WHO POSSESED ME, TRIED TO KILL HARRY A DOZEN TIMES, MURDERER OF HIS OWN PARENTS, MURDERER OF MYRTLE, HATER OF MUGGLEBORNS AND MUGGLES, AND VOLDEMORT! I refuse to face him again. Harry, I am sorry I can't. Part of me wants to cry at the thought of him and the other half wants to hurt him…"

Ginny's tear ducts starts to spill tears, but for anyone could really notice she looked at all the dirty dishes in the sink. Hermione was sort of shocked to see this behavior; usually Ginny had the attitude that she could kick anyone's…derriere with her infamous Bat Bogey hex.

" Wait," said Ron," so the plan _is_ to go back in the past and get the object?"

"Yes," Harry replied and then said to Ginny, " I wasn't referring to you Ginny… I was referring to Hermione."

Everyone looked at Hermione and became silent. All Hermione could hear were crickets outside. She could feel everyone's eyes on her and didn't know if this was better than them looking down on the floor. She secretly wished she had the comfort of her wicker chair.

"Yes. Hermione would be prefect," Said Luna breaking the silence and gulping down the last of her…drink.

" Excuse me, this a horrific idea! If I went to the past, surely Dumbledore would remember me from then. He would have told me. I don't look that much different then I did when he was alive. He never said he remembered a girl looking like me at Hogwarts. Dumbledore was not stupid. He maybe may have made few wrong decisions, but he was brilliant! Even if I disguise myself or did, saying I went back, he would know. And Harry, I know you that you know that he would know!"

" You right Hermione, Dumbledore was clever and almost knew everything. And you are right that he never said anything, to _you_." Harry stated calmly.

Hermione pushed her curly, frizzy hair back. The look on her face told Harry she needed to know what he knew.

" This whole plan, to go back, get the object, and come back, was his idea. He told me before he died to tell you, to tell everyone... he told me you must have went for an imperative reason. He said he was never sure it was you. But as time passed he grew more confidant you were Mary Jane Locke, a transfer from a private magical tutor in New Zealand while you and your magizoologist parents were traveling the world." Harry said in a matter of fact kind of way. It sounded down right bizarre to Hermione.

Hermione was also stunned. "Who came up with all that?"

" You did, Mary Jane, I think. Except that you were in the past, which is you in the future. You must already have known from when I am telling you currently. Funnily, Dumbledore didn't think of it either. I know it's confusing but this is what Dumbledore told me, Mary Jane."

" Harry, I am not Mary Jane! So please refrain from calling me such a prissy name. And I am most certainly not going to the past-"

" Hey Mary Jane," said Ron, " you always said that Dumbledore knows best. So according to Hermione conduct, you have to follow Dumbledore's orders. Beside it has already happened, or it will happen, or both? Look Mary Janie, Janie Mary, We are counting you…"

Just then Ron cupped Hermione's chin in his hand. Looked her chocolate brown eyes with his, leaned in slightly, closed his eyes while Hermione closed hers, and kissed her on the forehead.

If you couldn't call what Hermione felt before mad, then you could now. Her hopes were so high. Ron was not romantic (not that kissing her on the lips even would have been romantic as the timing was bad). Yet, then again, Harry was no Romeo either. Harry probably wouldn't give a passionate kiss in front of other people either.

It had brought her back to reality, though. She would have to trust Dumbledore on that she existed in the past as this Mary Jane Locke.

" I will do it." After all, she thought, what would happen if she didn't?

Everyone looked greatly relieved, especially Harry. Ron looked particularly Slytherinish with his smug face. For the first time in a long time, Hermione wanted to smack him. He probably thought it was his pathetic kiss that got her to agree. She couldn't believe she thought his kiss was pathetic. It was... simple... innocent... and downright lame for a couple who had been together for almost two years!

" One question, like Ron said much earlier, I cannot just go in and get it. Everyone has gotten way to excited, that they forgot we don't even know what were are looking for. How will I ever find out what it is? And what is it doing at Hogwarts in 1943?"

" I do not know Hermione… Dumbledore said you would know when you get there."

" Did Dumbledore say anything else?" Hermione some how doubted he did, but she would ask just in case.

"He said- no he said nothing else" Harry looked away. Unfortunately for Harry, Hermione didn't, and caught that Dumbledore did say something else.

What was he lying about? Hermione wondered as she made fruitless attempts to catch Harry's eye. She figured it was something personnel and once everyone went to bed she would pursue the subject.

" So when are we going or when I am I leaving for the past?"

" Tomorrow. I have already picked up some stuff you will need. Like the turner for example and proper clothes, except the uniform. I believe they were the same. That should be every-"

" Harry! That is not much time to be organized! Although, I have accepted this operation, that doesn't lessen the danger and I want to be as prepared as prepared can be."

" Yes, But Hermione, We need to do this as soon as possible."

Hermione put her hands up in defeat. He had a point, but this was still quite hazardous.

" Well. I suppose we could go to the platform at ten since no one will have arrived that early to get on to train."

" Yeah, Hermione. You will have to take off the Gryffindor patch on your robes seeing as you are supposed to be 'new'."

Hermione took a deep sigh and suggested that everyone take a task and get ready since they only had less than one day to prepare as Harry wanted this done as soon as possible.

Hermione closed her journal. She had been given it as a present for nothing (those were the most thoughtful kind of presents. You expect to receive gifts on your birthday, but to receive one at random for no reason is delightful, no matter how lame the gift may be) from her parents. They were murdered only a week later in a mass murdering by Voldemort's followers. But Hermione wasn't about to dwell on that, as there was no time.

Its black leather binding filled with white pages was no longer empty. Inside were details about Mary Jane Locke. A girl she would have to be starting ten o' clock tomorrow. This girl was not an exceptional student. Mary Jane Locke was an average girl, despite seeing the world with her parents. This Mary Jane would not speak up in class whenever she could. Mary Jane Locke would not be Hermione granger for obvious reasons.

Inside this little book were major details that were necessary for Hermione to keep her identity safe to minor details of Mary Jane that were sort of extra precautions. These were things like her favorite color (blue) and food (pasta, typical, but Mary Jane would have to be typical) and such.

She heard the old wooden door creep open and heard someone walk into her relatively small room. Finally she could to talk to Harry alone.

" Hi Harry"

But it was not Harry who answered. It was Ginny who answered in a hug.

It turned out Ginny was worried about the plan, even though Dumbledore did suggest it. She and Hermione became close over the years and hated to see Hermione in danger. Hermione personally still agreed that this plan was one they could do with out. It wasn't as if Dumbledore was _always_ right. He made a huge mistake in trusting Snape.

"Hermione. Be careful. If anything happens-"

" Ginny, you know I am not a big Risk taker, even though I would consider this a major risk. If there is anyone to trust to do the job, then that would be me."

" I wasn't talking about trust. I was talking about Riddle. He-"

At that moment Luna walked or Hermione though it was Luna as she entered with a dreamy "Hello". Her arms were full of black robes that covered her face.

" Well, I finished taking care of removing the Gryffindor patches off your old robes, Hermione. Now it will be more convincing that you are a new student. I should also warn you about the amount of wrackspurts in the air in 1943. Their numbers were by far larger. Oh hello, Ginevra!"

With that, she left to supposedly take care of the quacklingers that were attempting to eat everyone's wands. Had Hermione been in a more uplifting mood she would have at the least scoffed at such imaginary beings. Her mind was much to busy thinking about going back to Hogwarts. It was almost nice in creepy way.

" It' so odd to be going back, Ginny. I thought for sure that once Voldemort got hold of it, I would never see it again. Or at least until the light side prevailed"

" That reminds me," said Ginny, " we need to fix your robes to ensure they fit you. You haven't worn them in quite a while. "

Ginny took the wand out of her shabby black robe. Or at least Hermione believed it was black. It was faded now and Hermione had a hunch it was her old school robes that were already secondhand when she first got them.

" Ginny don't bother, I stopped growing. This is as tall as I am going to get. You stopped growing too.

" Great. I'm stuck this height forever." Ginny lay back on the pillow of Hermione's bed.

" There's nothing wrong worth your height!" Hermione said indignantly.

" No…I don't suppose there is, but I was secretly hoping to reach a height near Bill's."

" Yes, well Bill is very tall. That would be achieving a lot."

" You could do it though said Ginny admiringly, " you one of the few people I know who can accomplish anything."

" Not everything. Besides I can't control height." Hermione replied fingering with her removed Gryffindor patches.

" Hermione, can I ask you something?"

" Isn't that what your doing? - Yes, of course."

" Are you a witch?" Ginny asked curiously.

Hermione blinked. What was wrong with Ginny…was she being possessed?

"Yes" Hermione answered uncertainly. If anything happened to Ginny, even though Ginny was the girl who Harry…Hermione reached for her wand.

" Than you can change you height."

Hermione was instantly relived and set her wand back down on the little nightstand by her bed.

" Ha ha, Ginny. Actually that wouldn't be a bad idea, but I currently like my height and if I change my height, I might have to change my shoe size and other things. It's not as simple as looks and as you know, Harry has given me little to no time to prepare. I am wasting time as we speak."

When Ginny left for bed after another two hours of their "girl talk", Hermione had to restrain herself from almost crying as she looked upon her old robes. They were black and in satisfactory condition because she had the money to get new ones often, unlike Ginny. She decided once she returned, she would give them to Ginny or maybe once the war was over and the light side won, she would buy Ginny a whole new wardrobe.

That night, Hermione couldn't sleep (she wasn't surprised) and found herself wandering around the kitchen in the dark. She needed to get herself a warm glass of milk because she knew tomorrow would only be worse if she had no sleep.

The place was so creepy at night and since there was no fridge to open for light, she had to use her wand.

That was thing about times like these. You had to carry you wand wherever you went and it had to be effortless to get a hold of.

"_Lumos_"

Hermione fell over into some pots and pans. What they were doing out she didn't know. She was probably going to have a bruise in the morning, not that she really cared. However, she'd rather have gone into 1943 pain free.

" Sorry Hermione I didn't mean to scare you." Said Harry, looking very disheveled from sleeping, but apologetic nonetheless.

Now was Hermione's opportunity to ask Harry more about what Dumbledore said about her. Or rather, Mary Jane.

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So please tell me what you think! Keep in mind my goal is for it be the same, but better (to put it simply)

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	3. Mr Potter and Miss Granger

Author's note: Sorry this took so long to update, but my summer became really busy and I actually forgot about it. Obviously, I remembered I was in the beginning of my story. I can't wait till I have rewrittnen all my first 5 chapters so Ican work on a new part of the story! There are so many characters I want to introduce!

Like the my first two rewrites, Chapter three is pretty much the same, but BETTER ( I hope). However, I have changed part of my "romance" part of the story (sorry if my story seems to focus on Hermione's love life, it shouldn't but I write as think). I ADDED SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO THE PLOT! It is sort of small, but I can't even give a good size desciption as it might seem obvious (or not), but just in case.

Anuksunamun-Kalia: You review was great ( and you told me I was doing what i wanted to do correctly). Sorry if the story is a little confusing ( it has been a while). I can only hope my Chapter three is as good as your reviews!

Jexi: Thank you and i can't wait till the action begins either!

rcaqua2L: thanks. Actually, I am not a H/hr shipper ( a guess can be great and thoughtful even if it is wrong!), but I wanted Hermione to already have drama in her love life before she meets Riddle and Harry seemed like the perfect canidate. ( i think harry and Ginny are so cute together and ron/hermione, but I definately see the appeal of harry and Hermione!)

LovesBitch2: Thanks and i am glad you like it! Hermione sort has a thing for Harry, but it's in her head that Harry feels that way too. However, hermione chooses to ignore it off and on.

So...enjoy ( I hope)

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**Disclaimer: All Harry Potter names and stuff belong to Warner Brothers and JK Rowling. If you want authentic stuff, this is the wrong place.**

Although Harry's unexpected appearance in the kitchen had indeed startled her, she was still pleased they had some time alone.

" Oh, it's all good, I just came down to get a glass of milk." Hermione replied, opening the cupboard to get a glass, but was annoyed to find herself staring at the chipping old oak wood on the back of the cabinet as Mrs. Weasley had been far too emotional to do the dishes that night. Having to wash a dirty glass in the wee hours of the morning where she would leave on the most likely disastrous assignment was just another problem that didn't help her mood. Even though she could use magic to make the glass sparkle in the blink of an eye.

Maybe she could convince Harry to pick a later departing date. Hermione had given up any thought (or at least pretended to do so to convince herself this plan was sane) as Dumbledore did suggest it. Why had he told Harry, but decided to keep the person who would carry out this mission out of the loop. Sure he was closer to Harry, but still she was the best and brightest of witches (and wizards!) of her age. Hogwarts was, before Voldemort took hold of it shortly after Dumbledore's demise, the crème of the crop in magic schools. That would make Hermione the crème de la crème. She had a right to know and she was going to force Harry to acknowledge this.

There was soft bang coming from upstairs and then a sound of someone walking quickly across the floor above. Hermione noticed Harry didn't find this unusual so she ignored it for the time being.

More importantly, she thought, as she waved her wand to have the sink wash the glass for her, she had to press Harry on what Dumbledore told him that he didn't want anyone to know. Even Hermione.

"_Accio_!" Hermione flicked her wrist so hard that the dirty little rag actually knocked the glass out of her hand, but Harry's quick Quidditch reflexes caught it just in time. Not that it really mattered with magic.

Hermione gave Harry a wary look as she emptied the contents of the milk bottle into her cup, at this point not caring if the inside was still a little wet. The rag was filthy anyway. " I can't sleep." She mentioned and stowed her wand in a hand- (or wand?) sewn pocket on her pajama bottoms. In Voldemort's reign of horror, you never really know what could happen.

Upon hearing this, Hermione was pleased to see Harry showed pangs of guilt. Even though, in the sense of how time travel works, her having to go to the precedent period was not his fault, as apparently she was there in 1942, but wouldn't leave until morning. Hermione needed some scapegoat to blame and Harry was much too convenient to pass up.

Harry's guilty face was soon replaced by an anxious one. Did Hermione really want to hear what Harry was going to tell her? Now Hermione was bothered by it. But she knew, however, that if she left before knowing she would regret it.

There was another bang, but this time, there came a clang after. Hermione was starting to regret ignoring the first one and whipped out her wand faster than you could say " You – Know- Who" She began to head out to the stairs to see who was making the noises when she was surprised to find Harry stopping her.

" It's just Charlie, don't worry I am positive it's not a Death Eater or anyone on the dark side or anyone under the imperious."

I almost could have been funny if current events were different.

This time there were two bangs in a row, but the second was a bit louder than the first.

" What is he doing at this time?" Hermione exclaimed, speaking her mind.

" Something vital to win the Wizarding war. He is been trying for over a month now to break Voldemort's last horocrux. The stupid plate just won't break--"

" Plate?" Hermione said skeptically. "What is so special about this plate?"

" It was Rowena Ravenclaw's, it says so on the back- Hermione you were here when we got the plate; don't you remember?"

Hermione closed her eyes. Once again she was forced to consider occurrences she rather forget, but she knew Harry hadn't meant to bring that up and that he would be sorry was she told him just why she didn't pay attention when the new order retrieved that plate.

" Don't you remember? That's about the time my parents…"

Hermione cut herself off here and turned around. She didn't want to cry at this time, yet tears were already streaking her pretty face. She attempted to turn around so Harry couldn't see, but it was too late.

" Hermione," he began and put his arm comfortingly on her shoulder, " I can't tell you how sorry I am."

" It's no your fault; it's _his_. I don't know what I will do if I see the murderer of my parents in 1943," Hermione whispered almost inaudibly as she looked Harry in the eyes and back down at her bare feet. " Even though, I am ninety- nine percent sure that it was a follower, but still."

A perfect example of how careful a witch or wizard had to be at war and how that war effects anything to everything was now. Throughout all of Hermione's emotional distress, her instincts told her she should have worn slippers or something just in case, when she stared down at her feet.

" Hermione don't worry. When you get to the past, just steer clear of Riddle and draw as little of attention on yourself as possible. When you get there, immediately start looking for the object and finding what it is. The sooner you do, the sooner you can come home."

" Yeah," said Hermione nodding her head, when a sudden thought struck in her head. " Harry, tell me more about this plate."

" Well…er...it is heavy since it is made with real gold and in the middle it has the initials RR (for Ravenclaw; we are assuming) in a sapphire kind of blue. Around the edges there are some actual sapphires."

" Harry, you remember when long again we had managed to use the extendable ears to over hear two Death eaters? That is how we found out that there was some object that needed to be kept safe from you?"

" Of course." Harry replied confused, he obviously couldn't tell where she was going with this.

" But that is all we heard because we barely managed to escape as you Ron and I were exposed listening."

" Yeah."

" It's just, they knew that we found out about the plate."

" Well, I suppose so-what are your trying to get across?"

Hermione wasn't quite sure, except that it was odd they managed to steal the plate when surely it would have been more confined as Voldemort discovered the New Order knew about it's existence. It could be a replica…yet it was made of actual gold and…

" Harry?" Hermione exclaimed having a sudden question that just had to be answered.

" What?" Harry looked a bit pleased Hermione was going to ask him something as it would give insight to her what was going on in her brilliant mind.

" Are the sapphires real?" she asked quickly and bit loudly.

" Yes," Harry answered without a moment's hesitation. " Everything is real. Even if that plate wasn't Ravenclaw's it would be worth hundreds of galleons."

" Oh," Hermione breathed out, " just checking in case it was a fake."

Hermione wanted to say something else but the time of night had whisked it away.

" That's you for you," Harry gave a weak smile. Hermione was not in the right mood to return it.

"Harry I really need to get some rest for tomorrow, or actually looking at the time, later today. Can this wait?" If that wouldn't get Harry to spill the Bertie Botts every flavor beans, then nothing would. Hermione turned her head to look out the window, but she saw nothing but darkness, as per usual these nights. If Ron caught sight of them together at this time…

Hermione rather not think about it and instead, finally took a sip of her milk (it wasn't good), waiting for Harry to give her a response. She looked quite tired, but patient however, she was really holding her breath.

" Er…actually, I would rather tell you alone, now." Harry took his turn at the window and when he saw nothing he looked to the ceiling.

Hermione wondered if he was bored with the floor.

She waited for Harry to continue and Harry must have understood this because when he looked at her, he said weakly, yet too conversationally, " So your prepared for tomorrow?"

Harry would tell her what Dumbledore had said that bothered him so much, but it was going to take some pretense to do the job.

" Not really," Hermione confessed to have him get to the point.

" What?" Harry exclaimed, mildly upset.

" If by prepared you mean my old Gryffindor patches removed, things packed, and my character, Mary Jane's details written, than I suppose yes, I am prepared."

Maybe she shouldn't have done all that in case by stalling all that she would have stalled her venture into the 1943. There was no use, however, for crying over spilled potion.

" Oh. Well that must offer some comfort, right?" Harry asked. For all the respect Hermione held for Harry and how extraordinary she found him, he was such a dolt.

" Very little. It would be an even greater comfort had I more time to prepare Mary Jane's character."

Hermione took another sip, but Harry could take a hint. Especially an anvil sized one that Hermione just dropped on him.

" I already-" Harry began to tell her he already told her that if they delayed the trip it could only benefit Voldemort, but Hermione didn't want to hear it again so she told him to forget it. Voldemort certainly did need any more help.

" Harry, it's just…I am not psychologically ready to take on this assignment. That is to say, I was er… kind of hoping for a mission to take on (that was a bit of an understatement), but to be entirely honest, I wasn't expecting, well, this."

Hermione looked at him apologetically, hoping he would understand. Yet again, this wasn't his fault, as it appears that, she was in the past or her future self was already in the past. Time travel is so complicated, one could hardly get the proper wording right.

" Hermione, I can't tell you how much this upsets me. If I could choose another member to do this I would. That is not the case. I know you know this."

They were getting farther and farther away from the whole reason they needed to have the talk so Hermione decided just to cut to the jinx.

" Harry, why does this bother you so much?" she asked; abruptly breaking the peace, she said it quite calmly.

" Because it upsets you. You have been my best friend for many years."

" Naturally, you would be upset as my best friends, but I have been on missions that have bothered me before, but I have never seen you so uneasy. Yes, Harry I know Dumbledore said something else about the past…my future in it…about Mary Jane. I can see that is has been bothering you ever since you told Ron and me to gather everyone for an Order meeting. Just tell me what it is and you will get it off your chest. I know you want to, but you are also scared. And"

Hermione faltered at this point and took a leaf out of Harry's book and started at the grave ceiling. She had tried to squash this like any thoughts that Dumbledore was wrong and this plan was a calamity in the making.

" And that scares me."

This was it thought Hermione. There was no backing down now, but she didn't have an urge to anyway.

Hermione looked at him in emerald green eyes and kept her gaze there so Harry couldn't escape.

" I care about you…as a friend."

" Really?" asked Hermione, " You mean to tell me that you are keeping me awake just to tell me something that anyone could hear?"

Hermione really did not need the stress and aggravation this day had brought. All of the rage that she held in from the day's prior events just exploded.

" This is why I am with Ron!" she hissed a little loudly to Harry. It was out of anger… but was actually true.

She threw her cup into the overflowing-with dirty dishes sink and it smashed at the same time as another clash came from upstairs.

"Hermione…."

Hermione started up the winding staircase when Harry's voice stopped her.

" It's about Riddle"

Hermione had lost interest in what Dumbledore had said about her for the night thanks to Harry and sleep deprivation, but now that she knew it had something to do with the person she was supposed to avoid, she regained interest.

Hermione told herself just to walk away and leave Harry to think, but she always was to curious for her own good. So she stopped and turned around, and waited for Harry to tell more.

" Hermione, stay away from Riddle"

" I already knew that. I don't know what it is with you and Ginny. You act as if the instant I am in the past, I will go out of my way to introduce myself to Riddle. Listen. I don't think I will have a problem with him. I have designed Mary Jane to specifically be someone who will raise no interest among students.

" Except Riddle's"

Hermione felt like she had been stabbed with a knife without warning. She could barely talk. What would he know? Or what did Dumbledore tell him?

"W- What?"

Harry wrapped Hermione with his arms and gave her a short hug.

" Like I said Hermione I care about you and I love you"

Hermione stepped away from him. Was he going to tell her details or not? She was careful not to make noise by walking into copper kettles and pans. Her focus remained on Harry and her stare was cold.

Then, in a cold voice that didn't suit Hermione at all, she said,

" And like you said, I love and care about you, Harry, _as a friend_"'

Harry pursed his lips and now he looked upset.

" Ron is my best mate!" he said a little loudly, " and so are you."

" You are absolutely right Harry. Ron is your friend. He always was and will be your preferred friend, too. I am and will always be just your _other _best friend. Nothing more. Excuse me if I have forgotten my place."

Hermione immediately went back to the kitchen to the _magice box_ and took out the bottle of milk. She walked past Harry to the broken cupboard and took out a plain, chipped, white mug. She set them down and stared off into space.

Hermione did know how he looked out the time because she was determined to look at her empty mug. Her eyes began to water. The whole time the three of them were at Hogwarts, she believed the two boys knew nothing about how she felt about them. Ron had asked her out first. So of course she accepted, because she had liked Ron. But if Harry had asked first, she would have accepted his offer. It was first come first serve.

She thought Harry never liked her as more than friend, until recently when she noticed hints of jealousy of her and Ron. Than she started to think maybe it was Harry she loved. But she did love Ron so much…how could she ever leave him?

She could no longer hold back the salty tears that were stinging her eyes. She walked up to Harry (tripping on some randomly scattered pans on the way) and pressed her small lips against his. She put all that she felt for Harry in this simple kiss. She pulled away and kept her eyes closed.

She had been so dim-witted; Harry cares a great deal about her, as they have been extremely close for a long time. He loved Ginny; she could see that when they were together just to be in each other's presence.

For the past time she had been blind to her more rational side which reminded ever so kindly that Harry never did and never would see her in a romantic lighting.

When she opened her eyes she saw a stunned Harry. Why was he stunned and not mad? Her rational side quickly reminded her that Harry wasn't expecting it so it would be a shock.

Embarrassed she had been so rash, she went back to the island where she had placed her mug and poured herself another glass of milk; this time the milk was fresh. The only noise that could be heard was the sound of cold milk being poured into a container (and Harry's heavy breathing). The object, Riddle, and 1943 were completely blown from both of their minds.

Hermione decided that it was getting late and dwelling upon the fact that she had just cheated on Ron with his best friend (and hers too) would only make her more jittery tomorrow.

Tomorrow…

Hermione would be in 1943 tomorrow or later this morning. Oh she hated how past midnight is technically a new day and was early morning. To Hermione it felt like the previous day at nighttime still. A new day for her started when she woke up.

Later today or tomorrow, whatever way one would look at it, she could forget all about her sordid love triangle with Harry and Ron (since Harry didn't see Hermione that way it wasn't really a love triangle, but he did see Ginny that way, but insisted that they remain apart till after the war). Yes, she thought, that would be best. How could she forget that old trick? When social life gets tough, busy yourself with academics or in this case the mission. She actually was starting to feel relived and so, without a word to Harry, she left.

Tomorrow she had to be Mary Jane Locke. She disliked the idea as she was no actress, but Ron and Harry insisted that she just had to be herself, but different. It didn't really make any sense, but Hermione didn't think the idea of going back in time did either.

The more she thought about the hazards of her mission, the more she wished her mission were to get the object in the present. Sure the New Order had no idea where the object was located in the present, but at least the present she would be safe from the perils traveling through time. She would be safe from Riddle. Or at least, in the present she wouldn't have to live in same place as him.


	4. Sirs Riddle Avery Malfoy & Greengrass

**Disclaimer**: All Harry potter names and logos (etc.) belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. I have no affiliation with either and this is obviously from just a fan.

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WHAT EVERYONE MIGHT WANT/NEED TO KNOW:

The timeturner is a different edition than the one in Hermione's third year. **Sexy-jess**, you were right. The knobs are for minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, and decades. They have a knob each with the numbers one to ten. The farthest she could go back (at one time) would be to set all the knobs at ten so she would go back would be one century, ten years, ten months, ten weeks, ten days, ten hours, and ten minutes. Which is too confusing for me to figure out what time that would be.

Just so everyone knows, Dumbledore told Harry that Hermione had relationship with Riddle. I thought I made it a little too obvious, but just in case any of you were unsure, I am telling you now. The reason I didn't have Harry say that out right was because of a thing called dramatic irony (I think). This is where the reader knows something that the lead character doesn't. I didn't want Hermione to know for sure. She didn't guess about what Harry was saying either since at the time she was too caught up in her current love thing with Harry and Ron.

Okay, so for those who had read my original chapters, this was separated into two chapters and the first being where Hermione went back in time. However, I thought it was a bit boring and so I decided to send her to the future right away and have flask backs instead. Plus I really want to progress with the story.

SPECIAL thanks to **Jexi **who was my only reviewer for chapter 3 redone! THANKS again and again! Sorry, but there is not H/Hr in this chapter, but…well there are more flashbacks to come in later chapters, I just need establish my main characters first and get the ball rolling on the mission first!

Finally, on with the story…

Hermione pushed her messy, curly brown hair from her face, sniffed, and tossed the now-dirtied tissue into the dustbin on the train; she was already in the past. She had been crying for quite a while. In an instant Harry, Luna, Ginny, and Ron were gone; the tears broke free from her attempts to hold them back. She thought about what Luna had said when she handed Hermione a time-turner (illegal, most likely): _"Here you are, Hermione. Good luck, but I do not want miss you, and I hope for your sake that I won't"_

What if something happened to her in the past and she would never be able to see her friends again? Although Ginny hadn't understood what Luna had meant by that, Hermione had got it. The more she thought about her friends the more she cried. She had changed her mind already and thought about how she would much rather be in her time with all her silly love-life problems than here without them.

Now, she was attempting to clean herself up a bit before the other students (of the 1943) would begin to arrive. She had to calm herself down and keep reminding herself that she wouldn't be here for long. She would go in, discover _object-x _and get out. Once again, Hermione found herself pondering why she was engaged in such a lubricous plan: there was no other plan, and they need to get this object.

Hermione glanced down at her watch and felt a wave of relief pass by her. She still had some time because it was only 10:25. Students would not arrive until 10:40.

The time since she arrived at platform 9 ¾ of 1943 (it was the same as ever) had passed like sand from the magical hourglass in her hand. The morning went even quicker, if that were possible. Hermione had woken up early and studied her notes on Mary Jane in her usual fashion. Mistakes were not on the menu for Hermione and she wanted to scour and correct any she should find. One of the problems that she spent most of her time on was what house she should be in.

Gryffindor was out automatically dismissed from the running, along with Slytherin for obvious reasons. Which left the choice of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Hermione at first opted for Hufflepuff, as in her first year, when she put on hat old sorting hat; it had Ravenclaw in mind as house suitable for her. However, this was not some secret about Hermione, but it was not a known fact either. Wiser people, such as Charlie, suggested Ravenclaw since Hufflepuffs tending to flock together and they might find out what Mary Jane was really up to. Ravenclaws studied more than any other house, therefore they tended to be more loners and Hermione would be more able to hide her little secret from them. Ron reasonably argued that Ravenclaws are not dimwitted, and unreasonably cast his vote for Hufflepuff, as they "have always been the slower of the four houses of Hogwarts".

In the end, it was really up to Hermione.

Hermione's mind slower wandered back to the unusual, yet usual events of the morning (the decent hours that is- not the late…talk…with Harry)

Hermione gazed upon herself in the fragments of the mirror. It was a very old mirror with various sized cracks here and there. All the false gold paint had been chipped off, and now there was just ugly plain old cheap wood (with a few gold specks left). Hermione was particularly fond of this mirror, yet she had no real idea why. The people who had lived in the house prior to the New Order must have left it in the attic.

_She felt awfully uncomfortable in the "forties" style clothing she had was wearing. She was going to miss her jeans very much. She already did._

_The kiss with Harry had completely blown what Dumbledore had said about her._

_HER! _

_Hermione was in no mood to see Harry at all. She was mad at him for being unable to express himself and even more mad that Dumbledore had chosen to reveal something about her to HIM! Dumbledore not recognizing her was no excuse…maybe what he said about her, he couldn't say to her face? But since when was Dumbledore a coward? And worst of all, now she doesn't even know what it was!_

_Should she bite the bullet and ask Harry? Would she be a Gryffindor and demand Harry to tell her his… to tell her what Dumbledore said._

_Angry and upset, Hermione went (actually it was more of a stomp, but not so childish) downstairs to the kitchen, grabbed a peace of unbuttered toast, stuffed it in her mouth, and immediately spat it back out .It was disgusting and need orange marmalade! Lots of it! She decided she would have a cauldron cake on the train; this was final when she glanced at an empty jar that usually magically refilled itself with some refreshing marmalade. The spell simply must have worn off…_

" _I am ready lets go!" She declared at those at the table. There was only Luna, Charlie, and Mrs. Weasley. Charlie had piece of toast dripping with drops of orange gelatin in his mouth; he looked at her with tired, yet nonetheless wide eyes. _

Putting a hand to her stomach, Hermione silent whimpered. If it wasn't nerves, then it was hunger. The toast and marmalade started to sound very appetizing, and the thought of cauldron cake (if they were invented yet, in 1943) didn't feel her with relief.

_When they (They being Hermione, Harry, Charlie, Luna, and Ginny) arrived after a long, silent ride in the car with pointless comments on the stunning weather, they calmly walked to place between platforms nine and ten. The gateway should be open since it was September 1st in their time. Casually, they leaned against the barrier as though stopping for a morning chat and went through; one by one of them disappearing from the mundane world only to come back minus one._

_Of course no one was there. It was too early._

Hermione picked her satchel off the ground by her feet and dug out her brush, which soon became more of a mission than a mindless task. It didn't take her long to realize that it would do no good. It never was any real help unless she used mounds upon mounds of Sleakeasy's Hair Potion (It wasn't exactly on inexpensive side either). Although it felt good to look pretty (it does give one more self-confidence), it was terribly hard work and took so much time to get her hair to be nice or okay fro that matter. Hard work may be Hermione's expertise, but there were more important things to do with her time.

So Hermione gave up on her fruitless attempts and decided just to put her hair up in a loose, messy bun. At lead it would be out of her face and somewhat, organized.

Than she had a sudden thought: How was she going to get a schedule for her classes? Did anyone even know she was coming? She started to panic. This could ruin the entire mission and possibly the world, as she knew it. She knew she was starting to get a little melodramatic, but was she really?

Harry had insured her that he had everything worked out, but what if he forgot about this? How could he forget about this? No one, including Hermione, mentioned this while elaborating. What if she would arrive and than they would not permit her to stay because they had no idea she would be coming? Harry should have told her what he did! Now, even if he did take care of her enrollment in the past, she could, mess up and say she got enrolled another way. She supposed she would just have wait. Just in case, she thought, I had better start thinking of what to say.

Mistakes in this job were as common as gnomes in a garden, wizard or muggle.

Hermione began to ponder at what she could say as she left the train's lavatory and quickly became in deep thought. She wasn't looking as she left and knocked right into someone.

" Oh sorry" Hermione said carelessly, not even looking up to see whom she bumped into. She had more important things on her mind than actually meaning she was sorry. She began to walk away to her section of the train she had chosen when the person interrupted her. What they were doing here at this time…

" Excuse me, miss" said a male voice, " Its not your fault. I should be apologizing. You were obviously in deep thought about important matters and I was just not thinking. Terribly sorry."

His voice was easy to listen to. It was calm, pleasant, and a bit intellectual. Hermione felt her cheeks redden. Now she was truly sorry. Here was a person so polite and here she was, so rude. She turned around to see a handsome boy about six feet tall, and with nicely kept hair that was combed neatly to the side (typical forties do). However, he was wearing muggle clothes that were a bit ratty.

" Oh," she said, " Don't take all of the blame. Just because I was in deep thought doesn't make it okay for me to trample all over you."

She gave him a genuine _Hermione-smile _and hoped that was enough to make up for lack of a heart-felt apology. She would normally chat a bit more, but there were bigger fish sticks to fry.

Not to mention she was 99 positive that this was none other than tom riddle.

Hermione was not silly as Rita Skeeter and certain others had put it l4ess delicately. After all she had seen pictures of the pre—dark lord who was an orphan (the ratty clothes) and Harry told her all about " show" he put on at Hogwarts (being charmingly so polite that even the most obnoxious person-unless they were a bystander- could not possibly be impolite in return).

Although, Hermione knew that Tom riddle was one of those "phonies" Holden Caulfield is always complaining about, Mary Jane was or would be unaware.

He smiled back perfect pretty-boy smile. Oh, he was very good looking, but in an unusual sort of way. He wasn't muscular, but lean and a bit pale. He was like that beautiful day Hermione was thinking about before the mission. He was "gorgeous" outside, but what was really going on was something more than hideous.

" How can a Lady, such as yourself, ever associate herself with an ogre-like word, such as trample?"

He was a pixie away from brown nosing

" You would be surprised." Hermione replied. In her mind she knew better, but what she didn't know was why Tom (if it was him and it had to be) was even using his precious time. Shouldn't he be reading, or talking with his friends, or murdering innocent animals?

He laughed a warm laugh that reached his eyes (Hermione knew tom was an O grade faker, but this seemed so genuine). Hermione was about to excuse herself to organize some sort of scheme to reveal what the object is, when a thoughtful expression came across the young man's face.

" I am sorry miss" he began, but Hermione chuckled from annoyance this time and interrupted him.

" There is no need to say sorry again." She interrupted, a bit harsh.

"Oh," he said, " Well, yes I am still quite upset about my disregard for paying attention to where I am going. However, I am afraid to ask you your name. You see, I have never seen you before and I am afraid that you might know me, but I do not know you. How rude I must seem."

Not since her second year days with Lockhart, did Hermione want to just to take a moment to breathe and think how truly wonderful the fake Riddle was.

" Oh, well you wouldn't have seen me would you? I am new to Hogwarts"

"So what school did you go to before, why did you leave, and why Hogwarts? I am assuming that you have had magical training before by looking at you. You don't look like an eleven or twelve year old."

Hermione was grateful she had this down pat and in no way she would seem weird.

" Actually I didn't go to a school, I had a tutor"

"Oh?" the guy asked interestedly, almost judgmentally.

" Yes. You see my parents are magizoologists…" So Hermione went on and told him all about "herself" (Mary Jane actually) and said how apparently Hogwarts is one of the best magical education intuitions in the world, which is why her parents wanted her to go there.

She went on about all the adventures and places she had seen. Tom seemed genuinely interested, but it could possibly be an act.

In fact, Hermione began to have a sad hope that she was wrong and this guy wasn't tom riddle when they got into talking about books.

The young man glanced down at his watch after they laughed about one of the worst books they encountered: _Charm your own Chicken- from the author that brought you Charm your own Cheese)_

"Ah, People will start arriving in about five minutes, would you like friend a on your first train ride to Hogwarts?"

Not a fake and sadistic lone like you, Hermione thought. What she needed was an excuse. Although, even if this were future Voldemort, she would enjoy talking to his fake self, but Harry had told her stay away from him. However, if she was just fulfilling what had already happened, then either she had contact with him or not.

Hermione thought it best to try and stay away from then on; he would forget about her soon enough.

" Actually, I already have my possessions in a compartment so…(uh oh, she had no excuse)… we can go there. My name is Mary Jane by the way," Hermione said as she led the way. She might as well have introduced herself.

" Oh yes. It's a pleasure to meet you formally." He replied as they began to walk away from the train's restroom, " How could I forget to introduce myself? Oh well, no matter. My name is Tom."

Hermione was happy to be right, but a little sad to be correct. As the saying goes he was to good to be true.

" Pleasure" This was almost true, in sense.

" I am so used to _everybody _knowing who I am," he said and then quickly added, "– Not that I am popular or anything."

Hermione took careful notice of his attempt to be humble. She was taken back with his little bit of arrogance at first. He was human and had his faults 9 especially him) (Besides, unlike the arrogance of Draco Malfoy, he at least pretended that arrogance was a bad quality to have.)

" So where is you compartment?"

Hermione was all a mess. By glancing at his ring, she deducted he had just murdered his parents and framed Morfin Gaunt in the process. However, he probably had no real interest in her and talking to the tom riddle in 1943 probably was not dangerous (unless Tom discovered her little secret, but that wasn't the point). Harry had made it crystal clear that she had to stay away and had Hermione pressed him for details (including whatever Dumbledore told him about her) she would probably know why. This put her into quite a predicament…

" Mary Jane…"

She already told him they could sit in her compartment because she wasn't working well under the pressure. Maybe she should just lead him to the wrong one and she could ditch him as soon as he went on his prefect duties. That was it! As prefect Tom Riddle had to sit in the prefect compartment (at least for the beginning). Hermione would remind him (as he not mentioned this), but Mary Jane didn't know this little fact on Tom Riddle.

" Mary Jane? Are you all right?"

Hermione decided just to lead him to random compartment where he hopefully would not notice it's lacking of her trunk. She had quit killing off time and think about her mission, not worry about being next to tome riddle. If worse came to west she would…worry about that later… no Ron would do that. Hermione reminded herself that it was probably okay if, as Mary Jane, she could use the excuse of forgetting what compartment.

That would work, especially since she was "new".

" MARY – JANE!"

Who kept asking for…oh right she was Mary Jane. Harry was right, she should have gotten used to it. Then again, she had thought this plan was ridiculous (part of her still did) and had no intention whatsoever in taking part of it. Oh she hated being wrong, but who didn't?

All of a sudden she felt someone grab her chin.

It was Riddle and how rude he was to touch a stranger. Hermione smiled at the notion of telling this to him, but she knew she wouldn't, maybe someone else but not, _him_. At that moment she realized what was going on before her little discovery and that Riddle was attempting to get her attention.

" Mary Jane, are you okay?" Riddle asked. Riddle's eyes looked directly into hers and although they were not yet red, they were still a little scary. They were so beautiful; they seemed like the work of dark magic.

Hermione looked slightly startled and said, " Oh… sorry… I am fine... I just had plenty on mind."

Hermione sent him a short sheepish smile while tilting her head to the side. She was going to have to get used to being called May Jane. What a name Mary Jane is, she thought.

" No problem," Riddle replied, " Shall we go to your compartment, then?"

Hermione wanted to tell him that _she_ would go to _her _compartment and _he_ could go be eaten by a blast-ended skrewt.

Hermione sighed, "Sure"

For about thirty seconds they just stood there and Riddle coughed.

"Oh, " said Hermione, " Follow me"

* * *

Looking around she noticed the Hogwart's Express was starting to get the usual bustle of students. She began to lead him to a place far from her compartment were stopped by a couple of students already dressed in their _Slytherin_ robes.

Great Hermione though and she actually wasn't being sarcastic.

" Tom!" said this throaty voice.

" Damon! Good to see you, good to see you! You as well Miguel," Riddle said turning to a boy with golden brown hair and a small, pointy nose and a small build after shaking hands with Damon. His robes were in tiptop shape, and looked like this was the first time they had seen the outside of a door.

Damon, Hermione decided, must be a Malfoy. He resembled Draco Malfoy very much, except he looked more like a shark, than a pale little rat. He too had that platinum blond hair and his cheeks could do with a little color. Naturally, as a Malfoy, his robes were probably new for the new school year.

Damon fixed his hazel eyes on Hermione and the slight rip at the hem of her knew reaching navy blue skirt. He could see an out-of-line string hanging by her stocking-covered legs. Hermione blushed. She needed to wear clothes from their time and she had indeed found them. However, unlike Damon's and Miguel's clothes, her skirt and white, collared blouse had been through so much more.

Damon looked slightly criticizing, but it soon vanished once he looked at Riddle.

" So _Tom_," spoke up Miguel, " Who is your new friend?"

He looked at Hermione and smiled. It seemed completely artificial. Hermione wanted to scoff out loud. As if she would want to be any of their companions.

" This is…Mary Jane Locke," said Tom almost questioningly as he glanced casually at Hermione who gave averted her eyes and gave a slight nod, " Mary Jane, these are my good _friends,_ Damon Avery- Malfoy (Hermione was close) and Miguel Greengrass. "

" Nice to meet you," Hermione said only to be polite. She thought how funny it was that being polite sometimes means you must lie.

" Actually," Damon Avery Malfoy began, " I prefer to be known as Damon Malfoy Avery, but you know name Malfoy."

How kind of him to assume, Hermione thought. She understood, however, what he had meant. Damon was originally an Avery-she thought- and his mom must have remarried to a Malfoy)

Tom told his so called friends-- (Hermione knew better. They were followers and some of his first Deatheaters most likely)— what he knew about "her".

Than, in true Pureblood fashion, Damon Malfoy asked, "Locke is your last name, correct?"

Hermione, anxious to get away, only her head nodded yes.

" So your Father must be a …muggleborn correct?"

Hermione had studied everything she could to become Mary Jane Locke and had written everything in her little black diary in case she forgot. She had all the kinks worked out and was prepared for almost any question.

"Yes, my mother was a muggleborn as well," Hermione replied. Although Mary was supposed to be a different from Hermione to keep Hermione's future identity safe, she could not pretend to be in any way related to any Purebloods, since they all knew each other as they were all related in some form or another.

As she said this, Hermione turned to open the sliding door of some compartment and so missed the slight sneer on Miguel Greengrass and Damon Avery-Malfoy's faces. Nor did she catch the odd look on Tom's pretty features.

She could hear Tom, Damon, and Miguel talking in hushed tones, but was unable to decipher what they were saying.

At that moment, the three Slytherin boys entered the compartment. Much to Hermione's dismay, Riddle sat next her, taking the window seat as she had opted for a seat close to an escape. Although Hermione wasn't quite sure she would want to sit next to that Damon Malfoy, or that Miguel Greengrass.

Riddle was about to say something to Hermione when a few younger students probably in first year by the jumpy look on their faces entered with more than three trunks.

One of the younger students had stringy dirt blonde hair and seemed a little to short for his own good, spoke up.

" Sirs Malfoy, Riddle, and Greengrass," he said, " Here are your trunks. Er… would you like us to put them in the overhead compartment?" The small boy looked up despairingly at the overhead, which was put out of his, and the others reach.

" Do not worry --whatever your name is—I do not waste precious time in giving out orders to _pathetics_ like you who can't handle them." Said Avery- Malfoy nastily.

The boys cowered slightly from his menacing stare. Riddle coughed and gave them a cold look that meant go away. Finally, Greengrass told them 'to get frost' (Hermione noted it must be some forties slang term, like get lost for wizards. She wanted to learn the entire lingo), as he said they were stupid enough to do so on a train (Hermione she wouldn't bother trying to learn the entire lingo). The nerve these boys had! How dare they boss around others just because they were smaller and such (then again almost everyone did this)?

Tom riddle whipped out his wand and opened his trunk and got out his robes. (And his Badge- Hermione became excited that he was going to leave and so would she as she assumed Malfoy and Greengrass wanted her to be gone). Riddle shut his trunk, and then, using magic he placed all three of the boy's trunks into their proper places. Hermione was stunned. Riddle did this all very quickly and with just a few turns of his wrist like he never put in any effort to magic.

He put his robes on over his clothes, straightened his prefect badge, and said he would be back later after the meeting and a couple of rounds on the train. Then he was gone.

Hermione took the opportunity to leave, as she knew the other two Slytherins would be more than happy if she left. She was about to open the sliding glass door, when one of the boys out a hand on her arm.

" Where are you going?" asked Avery- Malfoy. This blandish look on his face.

Away from evil people such as yourself and Greengrass, Hermione thought.

" I-"

" Damon, my friend, don't be so rude. Sorry Miss Locke, for someone who comes from such respectable family as the Averys and the Malfoys (Hermione almost laughed) he can be so rude (just like his future… relation called Draco). It's none of our business as to what you do."

Miguel gave Damon a look that Hermione wasn't quite sure as to what it meant. Avery- Malfoy, however, must understood, because, he then said, " Who is in charge here?"

" Not you…" muttered Miguel.

" More me then you." Malfoy spoke softly as if he didn't want Mary Jane Locke to hear any of this. He then turned to Hermione smiled and said, " don't worry… it has nothing to do with you. "

" Well, " said Hermione, " I never heard anything, but I have to go."

Miguel sat down in Hermione's vacated seat, apparently apathetic to the whole situation, almost willing Hermione to leave, But Malfoy said, " Why don't you stay? Surely you want to know more about Hogwarts, being new?"

The nerve of Him! Riddle must have said something to them to make her stay, but why? Then she went to her most valuable tool, her mind. Riddle seemed disinterested in her on the whole, Miguel the same, but Malfoy seemed like the only who wanted to talk to her. Maybe it was Malfoy who suspected her, but of what?

Hermione made up her mind that Malfoy was suspecting it was weird that Hogwarts would just accept a student in the middle of their Wizarding education. She might have to watch out for him, but that didn't mean she was going to stick around, so she turned to him and said coolly, " Why, yes Malfoy, I _do_ want to know more about Hogwarts. But seeing the way you treated those innocent new kids, I _doubt_ I will hear anything good. Frankly (she took a slight pause here), I do not think very highly of you and I would prefer not to be in your presence."

With that Hermione yanked her arm free of his hand, opened the door, walked out, turned around, looked at him, smiled, said " Good day", and walked to the compartment she actually put her luggage in.

* * *

Please review! It is so pathetic to only have one review (then again that could possibly say something about my story…hmmm) 


	5. Misses Pepper Anne and Persephone

**Disclaimer:** All Harry potter names and other stuff are JK Rowling's and Warner Bros. They are not mine and I don't make any money off this story.

* * *

Author's note: I am so excited this chapter is up because it was one of my favorites and I really like the characters I created. I hope you guys like them too, but if not I understand because I am very prejudiced on OCs (usually they are the same and whether they are a friend or a foe, they annoy me). However, they are not all bad and they are necessary for a fiction like this.

PLUS! This is the last chapter that I have to rewrite, meaning I am finally moving on with the story and getting something new next chapter (for those who read the original)

This chapter has changed the least (As I read it, there wasn't much I wanted to add or change). The only thing different besides add a few thoughts and phrases, is that I had Hermione purposely do something to make her seem more clever (I hope it works).

Thanks to everyone who reviewed: **EvilDee, W1cked Angel **

And ofcourse** Anuksunamun-Kalia**: Tom is evil, but I agree with you completely. I would fall for his nice charming young guy act in the first five minutes I meet him.

* * *

When Hermione arrived at her real compartment, she was surprised to find four girls already inside. Hermione didn't have to deal with this, but it was almost foolish to hope for a compartment all for her. She slid the glass door open all the way and said, " Excuse me, may I sit here? I've already put my luggage here you see," Hermione gestured to the over-loaded luggage racks.

The four girls turned to look at each other, as though they couldn't carry their own opinion or they all had to agree on a decision. The eldest, probably in her seventh year, had curly black hair tied neatly into a ponytail with a pastel purple bow. Her face was so sunburned that Hermione could almost feel her pain. This girl looked directly at the girl next to her with small eyes. The said girl had long, dry, wavy, ash brown hair put tidily into low pigtails, with long basic blue ribbons. Her skin was a classic ivory, with only a pink tinge on her cheeks and she seemed the same age as sunburned girl. The other two girls were younger than the first two. One of them looked about fourteen and had shoulder length blonde hair. She had pale green eyes, and a very small face. She was fairly pretty, but in a usual sort of way. The last girl looked very young. She had to be a first year. This little girl had the same blonde hair as the other girl, but hers only reached her ears and she had brown eyes.

The eldest sunburned girl was the first to look at Hermione with slight disapproval about her hair and clothes. Hermione was fed up at people looking down at her just because she had a rip in her clothes. Hermione did not notice the rip till recently and when she had she didn't particularly care. Hermione took a sharp breath, took out her wand, and muttered a spell to fix the stupid string. Why people care so much about something as silly as a skirt's hem becoming undone was beyond her knowledge. And that was saying something!

The girl smiled a phony smile that said, "You can leave now". Hermione was already sick of these people.

The girl then took out a piece of old parchment and began drawing or something like that. Hermione coughed to remind her that she existed and she was currently standing right there.

After a moment, and without looking up at Hermione, she said rather disinterestedly, " We had some other _pathetics_ move it," With that she promptly ignored Hermione as the rest of the girls began to do except the girl with shoulder length blond hair.

Pathetics? Hermione thought. Then she remembered what Malfoy said earlier and that he had called those boys pathetics. Hermione realized that this is probably what they called first years. It was very rude (not to mention a little on the uncreative side) and made her particularly annoyed. Maybe first years seemed pathetic because they couldn't do anything yet, but that would change. They certainly didn't deserve such a name, and Hermione for one was certainly glad that that tradition had (or will from her current standpoint) died out.

Hermione was now annoyed to her limit since she had planned on spending her time on the train ride on strategies on discovering what she was looking for and then where to find it. She may have plenty of time since it does really matter with time travel, but the fact of the matter was that she didn't want to stay. So she replied coldly, " And were did they put it?"

The girl actually looked at Hermione this time and looked very affronted. She said, " _I_ don't know". After having said that, the girl went back to doodling.

Hermione now had a major scowl on her face. The girl looked up once more and gave Hermione a piercing look and seemed to be examining her. The girl's face, on the contrary, softened and then spoke again, " Look, they probably put it next door." She shook her head and shut her eyes while she said this as if whomever _they_ meant were being dense.

The girl got up, grabbed Hermione's forearm with her perfectly clean, clearly polished nails, and took a left to the neighboring compartment.

Hermione had a feeling she was about to embark on a goose chase because this new compartment already had a group of boys and girls inside filled to the brim. Her trunk was nowhere to be seen. The sunburned girl then grabbed Hermione's forearm again and took her to the compartment on the right. This compartment was just like the one prior to it and her trunk, once again, was nowhere to be seen.

Hermione had to admit she was getting a little worried. Although she had her diary (which would reveal some things that would ruin her mission) safely secured with her in her brown leather satchel, her trunk had other important things as well.

The girl pulled Hermione back to the middle compartment and as they went in the other girls looked at Hermione a little strangely. The youngest one asked if they had found her trunk.

" No, Peppy, we looked _everywhere_ though" she replied and then turned to Hermione, " _you_ are not eleven or twelve, correct?"

" No, I am sixteen," Hermione lied. She hoped no one would say she looked older, but if they did that wouldn't automatically mean she was from the future. To think that would paranoid, but Charlie assured her in a situation like this you can never be too cautious and, Hermione heartily agreed.

" I hope I didn't offend you." Sunburned girl spoke again and sat down and gestured to Hermione to take a seat. Hermione did so, but reluctantly because she didn't have time to sit down and chat with rude-suddenly-gone-polite people. " You see this is mine and my girls compartment. Everyone knows that. You could say its sort of a rule that no one, but my girls and me can sit here. So naturally, only a pathetic-first timer at Hogwarts- wouldn't know that law and naturally, I assumed whoever's trunk that was here must be a first year."

Hermione only nodded her head and was about to leave to go on a quest for her trunk when the sunburned girl continued to speak.

" I mean, you must be knew to this school and technically this year is your first, which would sort of make you a _pathetic_ and a first year. However, I am sure that since you are obviously not of the age that kids begin to learn magic, you will not be considered a first year. Also you are no pathetic because although, the term pathetic is reserved for first years only, it originates from the actually word pathetic because first years, being new to magic, can't do anything and therefore they are pathetic. You, however, should already have years of experience. So I suppose I am sorry for acting so rude, but now you know where it came from."

She finished as though this cleared any problems.

" Alright" was all that Hermione could reply. She was about to turn and leave before the girl started up again.

" I am Miranda Goshawk by the way," Miranda replied gesturing to herself, " Call me Ladakhi by all means." The girl held out a dead-fish hand. Hermione took it only out of politeness, though in her opinion, Miranda Goshawk deserved none.

" Nice to meet you," Hermione lied and barely lifted Miranda's hand up before letting go, " I am Hermione."

It was too perfect, Hermione thought. No one would suspect it AND IF FIT JUST RIGHT INTO Mary Jane's little history.

" I am sorry what was that?" said Miranda said. " Hermione?"

" Oh, no. I…" Hermione sniffed to help the act seem more realistic. "My name is Mary Jane. Mary Jane Locke. Hermione was a nickname my tutor called me…he got it from Shakespeare and thought it suited me. Since I spent most of my time with him, I am so used to being addressed as Hermione."

" Oh so would you like us to call you Hermione than?"

Miranda asked with a confused look across her face as Hermione was getting a bit upset. Hopefully she was falling for it since Hermione could act as well as Ron could solve a mystery. Ron…now this might get some tears…

" No…no...it...it reminds me of my tutor…he died…one of the reasons I am going to Hogwarts now. My parents decided it would be best if I got… socialized and so they didn't hire a new tutor."

"That explains so much. After all I don't think Hogwarts has ever had any _new_ students from a higher level of magical education." The girl with blonde hair to her shoulders said.

" Yeah. Well I really must find my trunk so…"

Hermione trailed off, but Miranda would not let her escape her evil clutches so easily.

" Oh don't worry about it. I have some extra robes you can wear. I am sure you will be able to fix them with a spell or two. At Hogwart's your trunk is placed by your bedpost for you so you will find it eventually."

Hermione really didn't want to stay with this girl. Although she wasn't mean (to her) anymore, Hermione wouldn't exactly call the girl the kind of person she could talk with. However, the train was already in motion and all the places would be full. Hermione certainly didn't want to go back to Riddle's compartment. She would have to stay.

* * *

The girl with the long brown hair with pigtails with blue ribbon turned out to be Gina Sue and both she and Miranda were in their sixth year of learning magic. They seemed very close and said they were sort of the founders of the group. The blond girl with shoulder length hair was Persephone and she was in her fourth year at Hogwarts. Her sister, the youngest one, was Pepper Anne, but everyone called her Peppy. This was Pappy's first year at Hogwarts and the girls apparently, were taking her under their wing just as they did for her sister.

Now, apparently, Miranda and Gina Sue wanted to include Mary Jane. The name Hermione was instantly forgotten (probably not be rude and upset Hermione), so Hermione was pleased her plan worked. It helped to stamp out any suspicions of why there is a new student at school and no one would connect Mary Jane with Hermione of the future because Hermione of the future would never make such a bad mistake as letting a little thing like a name slip.

She wasn't currently worried about anyone figuring out her secret, She just hoped Harry did something to ensure the Hogwarts staff of 1943 that Mary Jane was coming.

Hermione told all the girls about Mary Jane's story and her parents. Upon hearing they were magizoologists, she managed to complete capture their attention and was forced to answer all their questions, like the places she had visited, the people she met, and the animals she ahs seen. Hermione wasn't an expert and already knew she would have to do some research to be more believable, but in the meantime would have to direct conversation elsewhere.

All the girls began to talk about the Hogwarts houses when a fight broke out between the two sisters. Persephone and Pepper Ann.

" So, Mary Jane, I have realized that you have not been sorted into what house you will be staying in," said Miranda.

" Houses are where you sleep and there are four houses…."

Hermione began to block out everything Gina Sue was saying and took out her diary and began to write an outline for finding object X. Miranda looked at her and said, " Oh good you are taking notes! I suppose it is good to ensure that you fit in right away. Hmmm…that is such a Ravenclaw trait, right Persephone? You could very well be in that house!"

Miranda turned and nodded her head to look at the other girls for agreement.

They all nodded their heads and gave Hermione a scrutinizing look. Miranda said the Hermione did remind her of a librarian a little.

Hermione hoped that Miranda wasn't in Ravenclaw. Then Gina said, " Which would be perfect since Persephone is in Ravenclaw and now she'll have a friend."

Persephone looked a little hurt and also looked like she wanted to tell Gina she did have friends other than Gina and Miranda, but she wouldn't dare.

Pepper Anne, or Peppy, then spoke up, " That is best. After all, Persephone won't have me as I will be in Gryffindor"

" Oh yes," said Miranda turning to Hermione, " Gina and I are in Gryffindor. Which is by far the best house. Ravenclaw comes next though."

" Not necessarily, " began Persephone. The other girls turned to give her an incredulous look of disbelief. Hermione was happy Persephone was sticking up for herself despite Hermione being a total Gryffindor. Hermione was completely rooting for Persephone, who seemed like the only one she could hold a conversation with.

" It's true," Peppy said simply, " Just because you aren't good enough to make Gryffindor-"

" You haven't even made Gryffindor yet," said Persephone in a bored tone.

" But I will"

" I thought I was going to be in Gryffindor but I turned a out to be a Ravenclaw. Remember?"

" Yeah, but you are not exactly cut out to be a Gryffindor." Pepper Anne replied simply and shrugged her shoulders and started to doodle on a bit of old parchment. It was made to be a hurtful remark, but Hermione could almost smell some spite and so could Persephone.

" Maybe so, but that doesn't mean Ravenclaw is second class"

Hermione wanted to end this silly argument before it turned into a fight (though Persephone had a point). Which is exactly why she would just let it happen. She had already told off Malfoy, she didn't need to further her own character into Mary Jane. Gina and Miranda, she noticed, watched on with interest.

" It does if…" Peppy, however, chose not to finish her sentence.

"What?" asked Persephone fiercely, " It does if what?"

" Never mind…." Pepper Anne shook her head and refused to look at anyone. Instead, she concentrated very hard on the squiggle she was designing.

Persephone had this weird glossy look over her face. She seemed to know exactly what her sister, Pepper Anne, was going to say. Hermione could tell that Persephone was hurt by what Peppy hadn't said yet.

" You are not even brave enough to finish your ignorant sentence" Persephone started coldly, " Whatever possesses you to think you could be a Gryffindor is highly mistaken. I know exactly what you were just about to say, so you might as well have said it. And I also happen to know you were about to apologize"

Pepper Ann gave her sister a dirty look and Persephone shot the well-I'm-waiting look back at her. Hermione had to admit she was a little guilty due to the fact that she was mildly interested in what Pepper Ann was going to say.

There was a tense moment of silence where Miranda and Gina continued to watch the two sisters argument like it were a television show, the two sisters kept glaring at each other off and on, and Hermione was watching them all a little apprehensively. Although it kept her mind off her goal, it also kept her mind off her emotions; this was something Hermione really needed.

The silence continued for quite a while but Hermione was not keeping track.

Then, rather abruptly, Pepper Ann stood up and said, " Well…why the sorting hat chose Ravenclaw for you is beyond me! Wit? What wit? You don't have any because if you did, than you would know that I was not going to apologize for what I was about to say."

Pepper Ann crossed her arms and gave her sister a look that screamed, "Take that!" Personally, Hermione felt Pepper Ann didn't earn such a look, but she wasn't going to draw attention onto herself.

Persephone, upon seeing such a look, made an incredulous kind of snort.

" So you are not sorry that you were about say that the reason I didn't become a Gryffindor was because I was a filthy half-breed which by, the way, is incredibly ignorant seeing as Gryffindor houses many half bloods and muggleborns. I think you are thinking of Slytherin dear."

Pepper Ann looked outraged, " Well...well…Slytherin was exactly the house I was thinking of _dear_. You think I want to follow you and your lame friends footsteps. I was only pretending to want to be in Gryffindor for fun. I think you and your friends are pathetic (now Gina and Miranda looked highly offended) and I hope I won't be put in any house with you!"

Pepper Ann then turned around with her arm still crossed and faced the sliding glass door. Right after Miranda and Gina looked at one another and then got up at the same time and looked at her completely upset.

" Pepper Ann, we were doing you a huge favor of taking you in," Gina started.

" And now you are just throwing it way?" Miranda finished.

Pepper Ann than grabbed Hermione's forearm (Hermione had feeling that it was going to be very sore later) and said, " Mary Jane, Let's leave these losers."

Hermione, however, was set to thinking. If Persephone was a halfblooded witch and her sister was about to insult her for being so, (Hermione was now positive that that was what Pepper Ann had in mind) then that means Peppy must be a pureblood. Therefore, the girls could not be full sisters. Like most presumptions Hermione had made, Hermione wanted to know for sure if she was correct but thought it was a little rude to ask.

Persephone grabbed Hermione's other arm and said, " Excuse you _honey_, but Hermione's parents are both muggleborn, which makes her… oh I don't know- muggleborn! The point is you are a hypocrite and you are so envious of me that you have to hurt my friends and me just to make yourself feel better; that is a typical Slytherin! Who says Mary Jane _wants_ to be _your _friend after insulting her parents?"

Pepper Ann, tightened her grasp on Hermione and said, " Alright. First I am anything but envious of you. In fact, I would go as far as to say that I pity you. Jealous? Moi? Please. Second, just when, pray tell me, did I do insult Mary Jane's parentage?" She looked at Hermione expectantly; Hermione wasn't about to defend her.

Hermione couldn't contain herself and she couldn't bottle up her say any more, no matter how Hermione Granger like it may be. Besides, Peppy was insisting on her to say something.

Freeing herself from Pepper Ann's hand, Hermione said coolly, " When you were about to insult Persephone for being a half-breed. You stopped yourself, but you know how you truly feel. Any one with half a brain could tell that you are lying about being jealous and that you are so insecure that you feel you have to be better than Persephone at everything. From the Slytherins I have met here so far, I feel I have the authority to say you will have no trouble finding friends who think they are better than others. And, note that I just used the word, think. That is the key word because by meaning to insult your sister about being only half a pureblood only lowers yourself. You truly are a _pathetic._"

Hermione (half wishing she could just keep her act together completely) decided to sit down as a signal to Pepper Ann that she would not be her blind little puppy dog just because she was new. She and Persephone looked at each other. Persephone mouthed an appreciative thanks and Hermione just gave a small shrug and a quick smile to signify that it was not a problem.

Miranda and Gina Sue looked at each other (Hermione now fully understood they were Parvati and Lavender of Hogwarts class of 1944) and gave Hermione an excited look.

Pepper walked, or stomped noisily out of the compartment. She opened the sliding door so hard and fast that it shattered.

" Wow, Jane," said Gina Sue stressing the 'wow'. " I am impressed. You were so silent after your whole trunk ordeal, I thought you were the quiet librarian type (who doesn't Hermione thought)."

Miranda raised her eyebrows and turned to give Gina a surprised, yet questioning look.

" Jane?" she asked Gina Sue.

" Mary Jane is too long not to be put into a nickname, remember? In fact it is two names, like mine, so I just decided to choose one. Mary sounds much too old fashioned-"Miranda seemed to agree.

At this point Hermione laughed out loud. Here were girls from the early forties calling something old-fashioned. She knew she shouldn't because she is supposed to be pretending to be one of them, but she couldn't help it. The sad part was that Hermione didn't find the situation funny at all. She thought it was hilarious and she even snorted.

When Hermione made this loud snort, she was joined in laughing by a snort from Persephone.

" What is so funny?" asked an upset Gina Sue.

Hermione couldn't tell her, and Hermione didn't know why Persephone was laughing.

"Gina," said Persephone. However she didn't finish. Hermione took the bifocals of a confused Persephone and placed them on herself.

" Old fashioned represent tradition. Tradition means stability. A quality every good Ravenclaw should have. Which is exactly why my name is Mary Jane."

It was perfect. Hermione Granger would not do something like that, but Mary Jane might. Unfortunately, Mary Jane, in reality being Hermione Granger, would not be able to do this often.

She took off the glasses smiling and handed them back to Persephone her glasses. Persephone was covering her own smile with one hand and took her glasses in the other. Miranda and Gina were openly laughing out loud. Miranda's laugh, unlike her voice was quite nice and Gina's laugh was almost silent like she couldn't breathe. Persephone laugh was very soft and you might not be able to tell she was laughing if she was not wearing such a huge smile (and the occasional snort that contrasted loudly with her laugh). Hermione looked on at the scene of the three girls laughing; it for some reason, she thought, was very striking.

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Authors note: Please review if you can and feel free to give constructive criticism (nothing's perfect and If it is something I worked on, there are plenty of faults.) 


	6. Mr Goyle and Gina Sue

**Disclaimer: All Harry potter names and logos (etc.) belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. I have no affiliation with either and this is obviously from just a fan.**

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Thanks:

Anuksunamun-Kalia: Forgive me, I promise next chapter Hermione will get sorted! I am glad you loved the name Persephone. JKR's characters all have unusual names, so I wanted some too. Thanks for the review and I am really sorry I made you wait. (what a strange coincidence with the name Sue!)

w1cked angel: Don't worry, Hermione doesn't like being Mary Jane more than herself. She was just enjoying herself for the moment. Personally, I think Hermione deserves it.

Mrs Pierre Bouvier: Thank you!

Emi-Bum: Sorry about the wait!

Ivory Black aka Torri-Chiob...: thanks. I checked to see if my story was under complete, but it wasn't (?).

Lifewish: thanks. I use spell check, but I only skim over when I edit so that's why ther are mistakes.

Valinor's Twilight: thank you. A lot.

Minicca? Ummm…how ever tall you want them to be? Does it matter?

san01: thanks, sorry about the wait!

LaNi-GoLDfiSh: thank you, I will try to update sooner.

Finally! The first, non-rewritten chapter!

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Hermione had to practically scrape ink out of the bottle to finish writing her sentence. After getting over their fit of laughter, the girls, Miranda, Gina Sue, and Persephone, continued giving her advise, such as skipping that disappearing step on a certain staircase (Hermione already knew that one). She had continued to ignore them and to organize her ideas on where to start looking for "object x" and was writing them in her journal. The girls still thought she was taking notes; she would occasionally listen to what they said in case they caught on and asked if she was paying attention.

" Either way Jane, Peeves will still bother you. Regardless if you show him "respect". The last student who tried to pull that off, Gere Bagman, ended up cursing himself into oblivion." Miranda said this as though she sympathized for Gere Bagman, but Hermione could tell she cared more about a flobberworm.

" Actually," Persephone started, " I think he graduated and is now working as a nurse in St. Mungos."

Persephone than bit into one of the many licorice wands Miranda supplied for the girls. Hermione felt to busy with breaking up the castle into chunks she could search for object x to have one.

" Or more likely, he was sent there and is a patient, " Gina Sue countered, in defense of Miranda. She was looking a haughty and bored while she sucked on the tip of a licorice wand.

Persephone just looked out that window and shrugged her shoulders in response to Gina.

" Excuse the interruption, but does anyone have any extra ink? I don't think I can scrape out anymore from this bottle." Hermione asked.

Hopefully they wouldn't say she had taken enough notes because she had so many ideas on where to look (where the sorcerer's stone was hidden and unused classrooms). She didn't want to forget a single idea. One of her worries was trying to find it, whatever it was, as soon as possible, but wouldn't classes cut into her time. She couldn't just skip them or maybe…

"Oh sure. I have some in blue, purple-" Persephone began to open her satchel when Miranda stopped her.

" Persephone, if you give your ink bottle to Mary Jane, then you won't have an Ink bottle."

Miranda looked at Hermione than at Gina and Persephone.

Persephone sighed and dropped her satchel; and gave a sympathetic look to Hermione. Gina looked unsure of herself and said, " Miranda. It's okay; the whole asking for stuff from him has had no long-term effect. I should just stop."

Miranda looked at Gina like she had died and come back to life. " Gina Sue, it is not the Gryffindor way to give up. What if the founders had given up like you are now? There would be no Hogwarts. What if wizards and witches just gave up hiding and showed the world of muggles who they were?"

Hermione leaned towards Persephone and whispered, " Is she always this dramatic? Or is this just a topic she has strong feelings about."

Persephone attempted to bite back her smile, " She feels strongly about everything."

Gina looked a little more excited. Before Miranda could say more Gina said, " Wait...the focus will be Jane not me. What's the point? I mean...what if this creates new-"

Gina gazed oddly at Hermione

" Never mind that!" Miranda exasperated. Then putting a hand on Hermione and Persephone's shoulders, she shook them. " Girls, the main duo needs the second duo's help."

Persephone carefully pulled away from Miranda's clutch and asked, " Duo? We're split up into duos now?"

Miranda looked proud of herself, "Of course. It completely fits. Think about it. First there was just Gina and me, the main duo. Get it? Then you two (a duo) come, the second duo."

"Fine" Persephone stood up looking as though she were about to do something really boring like watching a flobberworm bite the dust. " Mary Jane needs ink correct? This is how Miranda decided you, Gina, Should take opportunity to ask Tom-"

"Tom?" asked Hermione. Was that what this was about?

It turned out it was. Gina apparently, along with a decent amount of other girls, thought Tom was "the cat's meow" as Miranda put it. For almost two years, Gina had used every excuse in the book, like asking to borrow a quill and such, to talk to him. Gina had wanted to give up because all of the excuses hadn't showed any progress. Miranda had disagreed and that was what her little tirade was about.

Persephone suggested that since the excuse to borrow ink was for Mary Jane, the focus would remain on Mary Jane instead of Gina. Since this would do no good for Gina, they might as well forget the plan. Not wanting to face Misters Avery/Malfoy, Greengrass and, Riddle, Hermione voiced her agreement.

Miranda, however, did not like this at all.

" That's all you can think of? You are so much cleverer than that! Then Gina won't see Thomas and what about Jane's ink?"

Persephone looked a little annoyed and cried, " I have ink for Jane!"

Hermione, sitting back down, decided she could write her ideas later, she would surely remember the good ones. " Forget it. I'm tired and I don't want deal with taking notes right now."

She didn't want to deal with Riddle either.

Gina sighed in submission to Hermione and after Persephone seated herself hesitantly, Gina slumped down in submission to Hermione's argument. This left Miranda standing all in a huff.

" Am I the only one who-"?

Miranda stopped herself and looked as though she just had a brilliant epiphany. This was not good news.

" Thomas Riddle is a Prefect"

Hermione had a good idea where this was going, but if she were to stop it she had to think fast.

Persephone, at this point, was on her back gazing at the ceiling for entertainment. At least she wasn't gazing at the floor...

Apparently she didn't get Miranda's plan or she found a flaw. Either way, it seemed she had no interest in changing such a comfortable position.

"Fine," said Gina Sue, " But I am only doing this because, knowing my luck, this will be the only chance I will get to Thomas."

Persephone slowly sat up and said, " But you do realize that the focus will still be on Mary Jane?"

Miranda looked very impatient, like she was about to throw a fit when she shouted, "Persephone, you are like a sister to me, but gosh! I see what you are really doing! You are so overprotective of Gina and me. Please, Gina really likes Thomas and she needs support. You used to support her full heartedly, what happened?"

" It's just...Gina has liked him for so long and we have tried everything to bring them together. The pain won't be as bad if she just forgets about him. I'm afraid of how she's going to feel if he rejects her."

Gina looked on the verge of tears, " Am I that unlikable?"

Hermione felt a slight of pang of guilt; here she was celebrating Persephone's ability to find a suitable excuse (with good reason too Hermione believed), Gina was really hurt. To make things worse, Persephone looked upset as well because she had full heartedly feared for Gina's broken heart and now she completely hurt Gina's self-esteem.

Forget the slight pang, Hermione thought. This pang was huge.

Miranda hugged Gina as a good friend does and Persephone said she was sorry and that it hadn't come out right. Hermione tried of being quiet once more decided to help.

"Gina, I know I have known you for only about five hours. Which were great by the way because you are really great person. I don't know much about this Riddle guy, except early I accidentally crashed into him come out of the restroom."

The girls giggled at this point and Persephone said, " let me guess, he was completely polite to the point that you wanted to go to reform school because you felt so improper?"

" A little," said Hermione, " he is ...err a bit over polite. However, I am sure that is what Gina likes about him and at least she picks a seemingly decent guy."

" Seemingly" Gina questioned.

Yes, Hermione thought, if only you knew what he has already done by now. You wouldn't want to be on the same planet as him.

" Alright I've only talked to him for about fifteen minutes, but I think that's irregardless. If Tom were so decent, he would have already asked you out or have the decency to tell you his feelings. Besides, if he doesn't like you, how great can he be?"

Hermione was proud herself: she scored some brown points and probably talked Gina and Miranda out of going.

Gina smiled and said, "Thanks. Maybe you are right, but I really would like to give it one more try. Hey, I once saw a...moving-"

"Movie," interrupted Persephone.

" Right, thanks Persephone. I saw a _movie_ with a muggle friend (don't ask). In the movie There was this guy and girl-Gina sniffled- and they liked each other for a long time. But both of them, thought the other had no interest in them so they never went steady. That is until the end. It finally came out when the girl was brave enough to tell the guy how she felt. Then, he admitted his feelings with joy and they were a couple."

" Maybe," Gina continued, " If I go up to Tom and tell him how I feel, he will tell me he feels the same way. Or, at least he might ask me out because he will probably be flattered."

Maybe, Hermione thought, Gina wasn't completely in reality.

Miranda nodded and said, " I approve of Gina's idea on one more attempt. Gina, hey if it could happen for Muggles, I think it could happen for you.

Hermione had the urge to tell them that the movies rarely ever reflect real life, but she didn't want to create enemies. Persephone looked as though she wanted to say the same thing, but thought better of it.

" I will support you completely." Persephone declared.

Hermione was positive that marching up to Tom Riddle with a declaration of love was a very foolish thing to do, but that was her.

Hermione told them she would support Gina just as much as Persephone, but was already feeling sick

The girls were halfway through their search for Tom when they spotted a compartment full of rowdy first year boys with a very sullen-looking Pepper Anne.

Miranda, not wanting to miss such a delicious opportunity, knocked on the glass to gain her attention.

Pepper Anne glanced at the window and Miranda waved. Gina soon participated, but Persephone just gave her half sister a nasty glance and Hermione, not wanting to look like weakest link and trying to do something "unHermionish," did the same.

But other than that the search was uneventful.

The discovery, on the other hand was, as Miranda and Gina anticipated, like a scene in a movie. However, they weren't quite expecting what really happened.

" I love you!" Gina immediately explained when the door slid open.

The situation was only funny because it was Tom Riddle who answered the door. It was some fat, ugly looking Slytherin boy, who turned out to be a Goyle.

He looked startled that anyone in Gina's league would even tolerate him.

If Hermione's cheeks were red from holding her laughter, it was nothing compared to Gina.

Gina looked like she wanted to apparate to anywhere but the Hogwarts Express

" I meant, " Gina began, looking for something to say to counter what she just let out. " I mean, how are you?"

"Fine" he replied stupidly. " Err... you?"

" Fine, I have to go though," was all she said and quickly grabbed Miranda. The "main duo" walked a little ways and enter another compartment not there own

Hermione and Persephone began to follow suit when a voice yelled, " Mary Jane!"

Hermione almost wouldn't have stopped if Persephone hadn't. Hermione turned around, knowing whom it was.

Tom Riddle was smiling at her and said, " Why did you ditch us?"

Hermione replied, " I…that was wrong compartment. My stuff turned out to be in Persephone's compartment."

" And we immediately became friends. Sort of."

Persephone rescued Hermione and she was grateful for it.

" Speaking of friends, " Tom said, " Is Gina alright?"

Persephone and Hermione exchanged looks.

"She will be fine," Persephone said. " We better go to her."

"Yeah, " said Hermione, egging Persephone, " She'll be upset if we're are not there soon."

The "second duo" began making their escape when, Tom Riddle stopped them yet again.

"By the way, Mary Jane the head boy and girl were informed of your…err unusual arrival to Hogwarts and on behalf of them, 'Welcome'. Also, they asked us prefects- I don't know if you know what a prefect is, but-"

" I know," said Hermione quickly to get him to finish.

" Well, it's one of our many duties now to make sure you, personally, get caught up to speed like as though you were a returning 6th year student."

Hermione was relived to know Harry had taken care of the arrangements for her "schooling".

The relief didn't last long; it was cut short by Miranda entering the conversation and suggesting that, since Tom was by far, the most knowledgeable of the school, he could help her Gina and Persephone help Hermione.

Of course, Hermione thought bitterly, Miranda wouldn't give up and because of Riddle's so called "politeness" he wouldn't refuse her. Riddle had said when he has the time; he will be delighted to showing Jane the ropes.

Hermione could only "smile".

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Thanks for reading and please review on your way out! 


	7. Mr Whisp and Dumbledore

Sorry I haven't updated in forever, as with most authors, school got in the way and I lost track of the plans and ideas for future chapters. I went and reread the story so I could remember what was going on. However, that was a bit of mistake seeing as I wanted to rewrite it for a third time (there is always room for improvement). I am actually very unhappy with this chapter, but for reasons I cannot explain, I am posting it anyways. Just you know, I have edited a bunch of times and sadly when I edit, I change so much that new mistakes are made so I must edit again. Thus, I apologize for the poor quality of this chapter (if any reader here cares).

I am considering taking down this story (what I had originally planned for object X sounds really lame now).

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A skinny, mousy looking, old man with stringy hair shouted to the first years to follow him to the boats. Miranda took a break form consoling a poor Gina Sue, to assure Hermione that she could just stick with them and travel the remainder of the journey to Hogwarts by carriage. Looking warily at the mousy man, who was currently emitting strings of saliva as he shouted, Hermione nodded her head in agreement. She wondered vaguely if this was the old keeper of keys and mentor of Hagrid, Ogg.

"I mean, really, going by boat is the most idiotic way they could think of for transporting pathetics." She expressed her opinion so as to be sure that wizards and witches of Beaubatons could hear her too. "No that pathetics matter, of course. Thankfully we will be riding inside a cozy little carriage. I for one-"

"What am I going to do?" moaned Gina. She looked like a wrecked ship; her face still had splotches of light pink and was stained with tears and snot. Gina was madly digging her hand through her bag looking for her something. She looked overly hysterical, but Hermione, knowing of Goyle's descendants, sympathized. "Where is my handkerchief?!"

Miranda pulled out hers and thrust it at Gina with impatience. Gina blew her nose and mistakenly wiped her face after. It took Hermione a great deal not to laugh and was determined not look at Persephone who might be feeling the same way.

"I told you already. Play it off as a joke. It's not that absurd if you think about; everyone knows you are way out of his league." Miranda said as she grabbed the hanky form Gina and threw it at a couple of first year girls that were trying to find the boats; they all shrieked and were so excited they toppled Mister Avery- Malfoy to the ground."

"Never thought I would see him so low," Persephone commented. "Not that I am complaining."

She said it low so no one outside of the group would be able to listen in. Hermione laughed; she held a bit of a prejudice over him since she knew he was most likely a future Deatheater and he wasn't quite charming when they met.

However, he did hear and gave Hermione and Persephone a nasty look only another Malfoy could rival. His friends took great amusement in this as well. It was odd to see Tom Riddle smile once more about something as silly as a friend falling on their face, but he did. True, he wasn't rolling with laughter like some other Slytherins, but neither was Greengrass.

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"This is the Great Hall, Jane," Miranda exclaimed with enthusiasm when they entered the great Hall. To add to the "grandness" of the situation, she threw out her arms and looked at Hermione expectantly. Hermione decided to give her the reaction she expected.

"It's very large, but considering the student body, I should expect it. The sky on the ceiling however is what really what gets me. I remember on magizooology trips with my parents, we ate outside when were in tropical locations. I always thought there couldn't be a better atmosphere." Hermione expressed with the same sort of "ah!" she had when she was a first year or as Miranda would so delicately put it, a pathetic.

Hermione felt that every minute she pretended to be Mary Jane was a minute that could have been better spent. She wanted to find out what exactly she was supposed to retrieve, and retrieve it; the sooner, the better.

Than a Hufflepuff girl about the age of a third year with wildly, long blonde hair practically ran over Miranda, who instantly started to become huffy. She stopped, however, when she looked at who she had tramped; she looked strangely relieved, yet upset.

"Miranda!" She managed to spit out. "I was told by Professor Dumbledore that if I found you I- I would find the-the p-person he is looking for!"

She looked as though she anted to run and cry, but just stood expectantly at Miranda, who didn't seem too pleased with this information.

"Okay, Annette" She said in sweet, but obviously phony voice, "Here I am! Who does he need? Jane?"

The Annette's long hair swayed haphazardly around her as her head shook a violent no.

"N-No... he is looking for some new student named Mary Ann. He- he gave me a last name, but I seemed to have...I think I ..."

"Forgot?" Persephone said kindly and the nodded her head and excited yes.

Gina, noticing Miranda's patience wearing dangerously thin, cut in and said, "We don't know Mary Ann, but we know a Mary Jane Locke."

"That's it!" The Annette exclaimed, pointed at Gina Sue.

Miranda looked as though she were about to smack Annette on the head, but stopped when an authoritative, yet familiar figure came into view.

It was professor Dumbledore, obviously younger looking and with a pulse. Speaking of pulses, Hermione's quickened. Miranda's and Gina's expressions changed to delight, and so did Mary Jane's, Persephone's, and Annette's when they turned around to see who it was.

"Good evening Professor,'' the girls responded in chorus.

"Likewise," said Dumbledore pleasantly. "I trust you all had a pleasant summer despite the arrival of your results for the OWLs and the war. But of course, as we all know, life goes on just same even in war. However, I am sure four such outstanding girls as you need not worry about such little things like OWLs. There are indeed more important things at times like this."

Miranda rolled her eyes and said, "Professor, you exaggerate."

Hermione heard a distinct noise emit from Persephone that told her this humbleness coming from Miranda meant she was enjoying the complement.

"Really?" The future headmaster said acting pleasantly surprised. "I have always seen such achievement emit from the four of you. Alas, Maybe I am easy to full."

The girls laughed and Hermione wondered if this Dumbledore knew she was from the future. After all, had he not said the four of them?

"Gina now spoke and she looked she had momentarily forgotten the incident with Goyle.

"Professor, forgive me for what is implied in my next question. How would you now about our new friend Mary Jane?"

Dumbledore winked at Hermione and threw his hand s in their air and replied, "Ah, once again Miss Gina, I am out smarted. "

The girls laughed, but the professor continued, "Miss Locke, it is a great pleasure to see you and have you at Hogwarts. As Deputy Headmaster, I officially welcome you to Hogwarts."

Hermione, holding back tears, murmured a small "thanks".

"Now seeing as you enrollment here is very...special, you will be sorted into one of the four houses before the coming first years. I assume you already know about that?"

There was a twinkle in his eyes as he said all this as though he knew just how special her enrollment was and just how she knew about the four houses more than Gina Sue, Miranda Goshawk, and Persephone knew.

"Oh, Professor, you know us too well. Naturally we told Mary Jane all she needs to know about Hogwarts. I would say she is probably up to sixth year level thanks to us."

"I am glad to hear it," Professor Dumbledore replied and than he told the girls to take their seats and for Hermione to follow him to the front of the Hall.

The next few moments went by in a blur; Hermione was introduced to the entire school as a new student entering in her sixth year of learning magic and was to be sorted before the first years.

Hermione had to admit she was a little weary about the hat. After all, wouldn't it see that she was in Gryffindor in the future and thus place her in the same house? Would the hat even consider placing her anywhere else? It had never been wrong before so why would it change its decision now?

Well, Hermione had been right because that was exactly what they Sorting Hat tried to do, but Hermione knew she had to give Harry's advice for getting into the house you wanted a go. Although Hermione couldn't see exactly how asking would make the hat sort you into a certain house, she knew it had worked for Harry.

Vaguely, she wondered what would have happened if Harry had not told the hat to put him in Slytherin. What would Harry be like if he were a Slytherin? Hermione decided she didn't want to know. Besides, best not to dwell on situations that could have happened, but didn't.

For all her worrying, Hermione felt really shameful. She had worried for nothing, the instant she asked the house if she could reside in Ravenclaw, it had shouted out to the whole school, "RAVENCLAW!"

A Large cheer emancipated from Ravenclaw and Hermione soon found herself seated next to Persephone and a seventh year named Kennilworthy Whisp. If Hermione wasn't mistaken, he was the Quidditch fanatic who would write Quidditch through the ages.

"We have an excellent Quidditch team here in Ravenclaw, so you will be proud to be sorted here. Unfortunately our last captain left Hogwarts last year and no we need a new beater. Of course, as captain THIS YEAR I have to find one. Have you ever played Quidditch before...or tennis.

"He was all very enthused about this and Persephone whispered that If Hermione really wanted play Quidditch she better be warned against this fanatic.

"You know what tennis is Ken?" Persephone asked offhandedly

"Not till this summer. My parents and I vacationed in America at a muggle resort. Tennis courts were one feature and as I watched the people play, I realized that the girls who hit the ball very hard would make excellent Beaters."

"Girls?" Persephone said as she raised her eyebrows and "Ken" went into a rather lame explanation.

"Guys too, but the girls were far more pretty…I mean pretty good at hitting the ball…"

Hermione had completely lost interest and was now scanning the great hall with a certain absent mindedness. Her mind had been on other topics the moment she realized that all this little conversation with the people of 1943 was doing was wasting time from Harry….and Ron of course. Could it be that object X was just a few feet away from her and she could get it any moment?

Hermione planned on finding out what object is first, but Harry told her that it would be impossible and that she would just have to look for it.

It would have helped if Hermione knew what she was looking for and how could she be so sure that if she saw object X she would realize it was Object X.

Her eyes locked with Tom Riddle's. She wasn't sure how to act so she averted her eyes and started scanning again as though she was just checking out the other students.

Tomorrow the real search would begin.


End file.
